


Sleep Paralysis

by DemDifferentStories



Series: Sleep Paralysis [1]
Category: Josh Franceschi - Fandom, You Me At Six
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blood, Blood and Injury, Blood and Torture, Demon!Josh Franceschi, Demon/Human Relationships, Demons, F/M, Flashbacks, Love Bites, Manipulation, Murder, Murder-Suicide, Mutilation, Non-Consensual Blood Drinking, Non-Sexual Bondage, Obsession, Obsessive Behavior, One-Sided Attraction, One-Sided Relationship, Possessive Behavior, Rituals, Sexual Harassment, Sleep Deprivation, Sleep Paralysis, Torture, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:33:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 33,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28314600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemDifferentStories/pseuds/DemDifferentStories
Summary: 'You are mine, and no one is taking you away from me.'Every night she is haunted by the same handsome, sociopathic man. Despite him seeming so real, the doctors claim he is only a hallucination she sees when experiencing sleep paralysis.But slowly this peculiar case of sleep paralysis turns into something more sinister.Originally posted on Wattpad from 2018 and completed in 2020.
Relationships: Dan Flint/Original Female Character(s), Josh Franceschi/Original Female Character(s), Max Heyler/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Sleep Paralysis [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073699
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue

**T H I R DP E R S O N ' SP O V**

"Dan, I don't understand why you won't tell me who this mystery girl you sound in love with. Surely I will approve?" Rose chuckled, locking her front door. It was about ten o'clock in the evening, and the fawn-haired girl had decided to sleep after a long, exhausting week. The only thing that seemed to take her mind off the stress and pressure of her new job was talking to her best friend Dan, who she had known for about several years.

' _I know you'll approve of her, but I'm just worried that you won't approve of me dating her,_ ' Dan explained, and Rose could tell that he was running his fingers through his hair - a habit he's had for years.

"Ugh - you're no fun, Danny boy. When I see you on Saturday, we've gotta discuss her. I mean I'm already planning the wedding! You guys sound prefect together,” she sighed happily, lost in thoughts of the brunet boy getting married.

' _Maybe_...' he nervously responded, terrified at what her reaction would be if she ever found out the identity of the mystery woman.

"Alright, well I'll see you soon. Love ya!" Rose chirped happily as she turned off her kitchen light, entering her bedroom.

' _Love you too, Kate Winslet,_ ' Dan joked before hanging up. Rose shook her head at the ridiculous joke that she had been told since the day she was born. She was usually irritable when it came to jokes about _Titanic_ and such, but somehow Dan managed to slip past her radar. She could never get mad at him for those jokes.

Perhaps it was because that was the first thing he had ever said to her, or maybe because she had watched that movie countless times with him, and it always made him laugh whenever she would perk up at the mention of her name during the movie. Someone could lay out over a million reasons why Dan had the privilege of not facing Rose's wrath when it came to _Titanic_ jokes, but she would not be able to find the reason in the pile of reasons. Little did she know that the answer was right under her nose, but she wouldn't learn this for a few months.

As Rose climbed into her bed, she felt a gaze upon her. This is something that usually didn't phase her, as living alone brought paranoia like this, but in this particular gaze, she could feel the sinisterness of the eyes. She attempted to push away the feeling as goosebumps rose upon her skin, but she wasn't able to shake off the strange feeling lingering in her soul.

Bundling herself in blankets, she turned off her lamp and let sleep take her.

**\---**

Rose’s eyes opened softly, adjusting to the darkness of her room. Waking up in the middle of the night was not unfamiliar to Rose, as ever since she was a little girl she had the habits and desires of a night owl. She attempted to sit up, but her body was paralysed. Her heart rate quickened, pounding against her rib cage in panic.

_What's happening to me?_ she asked herself, terrified of the situation she was in. Unbeknownst to her, a tall, dark silhouette stood in her doorway, admiring the innocent creature only a few metres away from him. The smell of purity and vulnerability caught his attention as soon as he entered the bedroom, and he had many corruptive, dark plans for her.

' _You're getting a visit from me, love,_ ' his raspy, strong voice whispered in response, being able to hear her thoughts. Rose's stomach dropped as soon as she heard the voice, her tear brimmed eyes darting to the voice.

_Did he break into my house? What does he mean 'a visit'?_ A million thoughts and scenarios raced through the young girl's head as the mysterious figure walked towards her, sweat trickling down her forehead.

' _I didn't break into your house - I broke into your consciousness. And I think you can figure out the dots to your other question, sweetheart,_ ’ he chuckled as he circled around to the end of her bed. His dark eyes met hers as he slowly pulled away her duvet. He bit his lip at the sight of the cotton shorts and thin shirt, dumbfounded at how a girl could look so innocent yet sinful at the same time. He desired to take her right now, feel her nails dig into his skin as he had his way with her, but he knew he needed to wait.

' _Out of all the people I've visited, I think you're my favourite,_ ’ he said, crawling onto her bed. Warm, salty tears ran down Rose's cheeks as the man knelt at her feet, his menacing looks and manipulative aura terrifying her.

_Please go away_.

‘ _I'd rather not - I quite enjoy your company, even though you're sweating, trembling and crying_ ,' he smirked, his hand softly running down her calf. His fingers felt like ice against her milky skin. His hands wrapped around her ankles before he pulled her to him. He placed his right hand next to her face before leaning down and inspecting her features. His breath grew heavier as he touched and studied the girl, his small seed of obsession had already blossomed into a flower. His left hand lightly ghosted Rose's collarbone and cheek bones as his smirk grew wider. Her legs trembled as he leant down further, a few centimetres away from her lips. He did everything to resist attacking those plump, untouched lips, because he knew if he even let himself do something as simple as that, all hell would break loose.

' _You're definitely my favourite now - you're drenched in innocence. Fuck, I love it when I get to play with an innocent one,_ ' he told her, his left hand resting on the side of her thigh.

_An innocent one?_ Rose's fear for the man multiplied by ten once the sentence left his lips, petrified at what her future held as she was now his 'favourite'.

He left a kiss on her pale, soft neck before getting off her bed, crouching next to the girl.

' _I can't wait to see you again, Rose. You're a lot of fun. And by the way, you can call me Josh,_ ' Josh informed her, standing once again. He returned to the doorway, a smug smirk along his lips. He took one final look at the girl he was now infatuated with, wishing he could stay forever.

' _Also, just a little bit of information, I can read your thoughts, and it's very exciting to know how afraid you are of me. I'll see you again tomorrow night_ ,’ he cackled as he disappeared into the shadows of Rose's room.

She woke up sobbing, clutching her chest as her eyes darted around the room in panic. She remembered what he had said to her, and was terrified of what Josh's visits would hold for her in her future.


	2. Chapter 1

**R O S E ' S P O V**

I woke up with tears staining my cheeks and a sticky body from all the sweat caused by his thirty-second visit. _Just over a month_. I shuddered at the thought of him, stepping out of bed and making my way to the bathroom.

I scrubbed harshly at my arms, attempting to get rid of his touch. I sighed in frustration at the sight of my red arms, still feeling dirty and contaminated. I dropped the sponge, turning off the tap. No matter how much I cleaned, disinfected, scrubbed, whatever the method may be, I couldn't get his presence out of my apartment.

I sipped my coffee, my hands slightly trembling. I took a deep breath, reminding myself that he's just a hallucination and he can't do anything to me. But a feeling of doubt rippled through me, making me drop my coffee. I gasped, my eyes widening at the sight of the smashed mug. The cursive writing that once said 'A cup of happiness to start the day' was now smashed across my tiles, black coffee surrounding the pieces.

After cleaning up the mess, I sat at my dining room table, avoiding the couch. I refused to sleep during the day due to him. His taunting comments and ice cold touch terrified me so much that I feared to fear the day. The warm sun that covered my arms was the only thing that gave me comfort anymore.

My doorbell rang, causing me to jump. I stood up, my legs trembling in anxiety. I walked over to my door, looking into the peep hole. I sighed in relief at the sight of Dan. I unlocked my door, opening it quickly.

"Shit, Rose. You look horrible," Dan sighed, entering my flat. I nodded as I let out a small yawn, closing the door and following Dan. He plopped himself onto the couch, making me freeze. He looked at me in confusion.

"Aren't you going to sit down?" he asked, patting the empty space next to him. I bit my lip in dilemma. "What's wrong? You look petrified," Dan pointed out, sitting up. Tears began rolling down my cheeks, breaking into sobs. He leaped up, embracing me softly. He rubbed my back, mumbling small comments of comfort and support as I melted into his embrace. I lifted my head up, now sniffling quietly. "Aw, Rose... it's okay," he murmured, caressing my cheek tenderly. He sat down again, pulling me onto the couch with him.

"What happened?" he cooed softly, pushing back loose hairs. I sat up, facing him.

"For about a month now, I've been experiencing sleep paralysis every single night," I whispered. I went on to vaguely explain who Josh was, but left out the disturbing details of what I witnessed and endured during the nights. Dan listened to me closely, nodding every so often and never took his attention off me.

"Rose I'm so sorry you're going through this," he told me, gazing into my eyes. I shook my head, wiping away the snot and tears from my face.

"It's not like I can control it, don't apologise," I weakly laughed, sniffling quietly. A big smile popped onto his face, making me furrow my eyebrows. 

"How about I chuck a movie on and you get some sleep? As soon as I notice anything weird, I'll wake you up." I felt safer with Dan around, thinking that he might not appear with Dan in the room, so I accepted his invitation.

He put on _Se7en_ , and within fifteen minutes I had fallen into a relaxed slumber, and I never felt more refreshed in my life.

' _Tsk, tsk - you know I don't like Dan, my little angel_.' The sound of his raspy voice immediately snapped me out of my peaceful state, as if he'd dragged me out himself. We locked a gaze as he approached the couch, the room becoming more colourless with each step. ' _Rose, no matter who's with you, I can always visit you whenever I please. A small perk, I guess. But I gotta say, that small little smile you had when you fell asleep made my heart flutter,_ ' he mentioned, his ice cold hand caressing my cheekbones.

 _Please, just let me sleep_. I felt the tears running down my cheeks, rolling onto his hands.

' _Don't worry, I'll let you have some sleep tonight, despite how much I enjoy our nightly encounters_ ,' he joked, biting his lip. He looked over to Dan, who was focus was on the film. He studied him intently, bringing his hand close to his face.

' _He's fucking pathetic - I don't know why you hang out with him,_ ' he sneered, his eyes returning to me.' _Also, that little plan of yours? Won't ever work - you look like you're sleeping peacefully,_ ' he menacingly grinned as he straddled me, ghosting his hand along my body. His hand slid underneath my shirt, up towards my bra. He rested his hand upon my breast, exactly where my heart should have been.

' _Don't forget that this is mine and only mine_.' At first I thought he was referring to my body, but as soon as I heard my heartbeat pounding in my ears, I knew he was talking about my heart.

 _What does that even mean?_ He held my face in his hands, studying my face. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a switchblade, thrusting me into major terror.

' _How about we cut up Danny and compare?!_ ' he cackled, climbing off me. He raised the blade high, ready to plunge into Dan's chest. I screamed loudly, Dan averting all attention to me.

"Fuck, Rose. Hey, it's okay, it's okay - I'm here," Dan comforted me, rubbing circles on my back. I leant into his embrace, my entire body shaking.

"I-I'm sorry, Dan," I mumbled, feeling embarrassed. He shook his head, kissing my temple. 

"Don't apologise, it's not your fault," he replied, continuing to comfort and hold me. I silently thanked God for giving me a friend like Dan, having no idea where I would've been then if it weren't for him.

"What did Josh do?" he questioned with caution, obviously not wanting to trigger any emotions.

"I-I don't want to talk about it," I answered, snuggling into Dan. He nodded in understanding, wrapping his arm around me protectively before continuing the movie, a tingling sensation running though my body.

Throughout the rest of the day, we watched various movies, ate and tried different techniques to distract myself from Josh. Dan never left my side for almost the entire day, and whenever I asked him to go home, he'd refuse. Although he smiled and made jokes, I could tell he was upset - he’s always hated seeing me in pain. But I wouldn't be able to bring it up, because he cares more about me than himself.

"Thanks for today, Dan," I smiled softly as I washed the dinner plates, looking at him.

"No worries, I'm just so glad you're feeling better. If I'm going to be honest, this is the best you've looked in weeks," he joked, drying his hands. He turned away but I grabbed him by the shirt, making him turn back.

"Please stay the night. I-I know I've already b-been enough of a burden, but I'd feel so much more comfortable if you were with me tonight," I asked, rambling. Dan interrupted me by placing his finger on my lips, and I looked up.

"Of course will stay," he complied, caressing my cheek softly. I hugged him tightly.

"Thank you - I don't know what I'd do without you," I whispered into his chest.

After cleaning all up the kitchen, we made our way to the bedroom. I was already in pyjamas, and he had been wearing sweatpants and a shirt all day, so there weren't any inconveniences. We brushed our teeth and climbed into bed. He wrapped his arms around me protectively, and placed his head in the crook of my shoulder, something he knows I love. He quietly sang a song into my hair as he traced shapes on my neck, lulling me into a drowsy state. My eyes closed softly as I fell limp in his embrace.


	3. Chapter 2

**R O S E ' SP O V**

I woke up wrapped in Dan's arms, making me smile softly. _He really does care for me_. I slipped out of his embrace and stood up. I stretched my arms out, thankful that Josh had kept his promise. I walked into my kitchen and began making toast, spreading jam onto two slices before cutting them into triangles. I left the other two untouched for Dan. For once I wasn't relying on coffee. I sat on the couch, digging my toes into the soft cushions. I ate my toast silently, waiting for Dan to wake up.

"Rose?" I heard Dan call out as he shuffled into the living room, his hair a wild mess and stuck all over the place.

"Morning. Toast is on the counter," I smiled, placing my empty plate on the side table next to me. Defying my expectations, he moved towards me and flopped onto the couch, lying in my embrace. I ran my fingers through his hair.

"Can... can we stay like this for a while?" he mumbled, his warm breath tickling against my collarbone. I chuckled, pushing him off lightly.

"Have some brekky, Dan," I replied. He nodded softly and got off me, going to the counter. I sat up and turned on the TV, switching to the news. Dan joined me on the couch again and watched it with me whilst he ate his toast. I rested my head on his shoulder as the weather forecast was shown. Dan finished his breakfast and was quickly on his way.

"I hate leaving you... you sure you can get yourself to work?" he asked for the millionth time.

"Yes mum," I joked, leaning against the doorframe. He kissed my forehead as we exchanged goodbyes, and I watched him make his way out. I shut the door and began preparing myself for work.

It felt great to be back at work, especially after a good nights sleep. I shrugged on my bag, grabbing my keys. Just as I was about to leave my bedroom, I felt a small tingle on my neck, like someone kissed me. I furrowed my eyebrows as I left the room, brushing it off.

"Must be some withdrawal effect..." I mustered up. But a small bit of me knew that it wasn't a withdrawal effect.

It was something different.

**\---**

"Sooo, how is lover boy?" my co-worker Kelly asked, a suggestive tone to her voice. I rolled my eyes as I packed away the box.

"Dan is doing alright from what I could tell. He wouldn't even let me ask him how his day or week was - all the focus was on me," I explained, combing through the reports and placing them in correct sections.

"I don't understand why you haven't gone for him yet - it's so obvious he's into you! You guys would make the prefect couple," she enthused, sorting through sale item clothes. I shook my head at her daydreams, filing the final report. I shut the draw and turned back to her. "But how have you been sleeping though? It must be pretty bad if Dan had to stay the entire day," she cautiously continued. I crossed my arms, looking down slightly.

"It's terrible. I've been relying on coffee, and today was the first time I've slept peacefully in just over a month," I explained, ignoring the memories and thoughts of Josh.

"Doctors?"

"Nothing - no medication or treatment has worked. It's the worse case they've seen," I replied, sitting down. Kelly walked towards the front of our store, but paused to say something to me.

"I hate seeing you like this. Maybe you should actually start going out with Dan, jokes aside. If his presence prevented an episode, he might even do more." She left the store, and I sat in silence.

_What if she's right? Josh absolutely hates Dan, and his presence could drive Josh away. He wouldn't stand being around Dan whilst I slept. Maybe he would even... disappear_. The familiar feeling of doubt ripped once again within me and my head jolted to the source of glass smashing.

I stood up and walked over to the front of the counter and covered my mouth in shock. Our glass vase was smashed against the floor. _Could it- no. No way it could've been Josh, he’s just a hallucination._ A rack of clothes toppled over, making me stumble back in fear.

"Get out of my head!" I shakily whispered, anger in my voice. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and saw him standing behind me. I swivelled around only to see nothing. I shook my head, not believing what I was seeing. I quickly wrote down a note to Kelly and another one that simply said 'Be back in fifteen minutes.’

I stuck it to the inside of our door before locking up, knowing that Kelly had her keys on her. I raced to the back room, tossing on my jacket and bag before exiting through the front. I inhaled deeply as I made my way to the bus stop, my hands trembling and tears building up in my eyes. I caught my bus and walked straight home.

_He isn't real._

I tossed my keys onto the counter and my bag to the floor before sitting on my couch. The events that happened in the shop confused and frightened me. _There's no way Josh could be more than a hallucination. Demons and spirits - they don't exist_.

I pulled out my phone and opened my contacts. My finger hovered over Dan's contact number. _Should I call him? I mean, he did tell me that he was willing to come over whenever, but he has a life and a job. I can't make him my permanent baby-sitter. Come on, Rose, you’re twenty-three - get yourself together. You can take care of this_.

I inhaled shakily and turned on the TV, watching whatever was on whilst I counted down the minutes to Josh's next visit.

**\---**

' _He likes you_ ,' he bitterly muttered, making my eyes jolt open. Josh towered over me, staring down at me with a flare in his eyes. A flare of passion. Hatred. Possession.

_We've been friends for years, why wouldn't he like me?_ I anxiously anticipated his response, praying that he wouldn't take it in sarcastic fashion.

' _I don't mean it that way. He has stronger feelings - he thinks impurely of you,_ ' he replied, his tone on the verge of a snarl.

_Impurely?_ His gaze didn't leave me as he traced his fingers along my legs.

' _He desires to take your virtue, wed you - whatever the fuck goes on in his little, naive head. He wants you,_ ' he growled, digging his fingernails into my thigh. I felt my body tense at the action as I questioned his behaviour.

Josh had never shown possessive behaviour before yesterday, his comments and actions had intensified.

' _He's a fucking idiot if he even thinks that he even has the slimmest chance with you,_ ' he scoffed, teasingly sliding his fingers under my shorts.

_Stop it, please._ He pulled his fingers away, my body relaxing.

' _Honestly, I don't blame him. You're absolutely perfection,_ ' he hummed, crawling on top of me. His hands caressed my face softly, tears rolling down my face.

_Stop it._

' _Stop what, admiring you? That's not something I can easily stop, sweetheart - your beauty and personality is simply spectacular,_ ' he rambled, has hands moving along my body.

_Stop touching me._

' _I simply can't - you’re too irresistible_ ,' he muttered, his hands tearing at my t-shirt. My bra was the only thing protecting me from exposure, which I was thankful for. He kissed my chest, making me cry even harder. I hated his lips, his touch, his comments. I hated him.

' _You may hate me, but it can't stop me,_ ' he chuckled, looking up. He stepped off me, pulling the duvet over me.' _Until tomorrow night, darling,_ ' he whispered.


	4. Chapter 3

**R O S E ' S P O V**

As soon as I woke up the next morning I turned over and covered myself entirely in my duvet. I squeezed my eyes tightly, but I could still see and feel his hands, his comments ringing in my ear.

I underestimated this situation. I thought this was only an intense case of sleep paralysis, but the reality of this situation was slowly coming to light. The real Josh.

I sobbed into my pillow, my stomach hurting and my chest heavy. I hated how he made me feel. My body trembled as I pulled my legs to my chest, feeling vulnerable and scared. I felt a hand touch my back, and I sobbed even harder.

"Rose, what's wrong?" Dan soothed. I lifted my body up and hugged him tightly, crying into his shoulder. He rubbed my back softly, kissing my temple. He kicked off his shoes and pulled me under the duvet with him.

"Rose, please talk to me. What happened?" Dan continued, attempting to look at me. I shook my head.

"I don't want to talk about it," I muttered, keeping my head down. Last night had me shaken. I was slowly realising that Josh was more than just a hallucination. He admitted his attraction towards me. Dan tenderly held my hand in his, rubbing it softly.

"Was it Josh again?" he whispered, being cautious. I sniffled, fighting tears, and nodded quickly. He placed his hand on my cheek.

"You can cry, it's okay," he cooed. I began to bawl my eyes out as I crawled into Dan's embrace, giving me comfort and warmth.

"I f-feel him ev-everywhere," I sobbed into his shoulder, clutching onto his shirt. My body shook and trembled as we laid there. He held me tightly, promising to never leave me and that it would all be better.

After a while I decided to get out of bed so I could shower and change. When I entered the kitchen, Dan was holding take away in his hands. He smiled softly as he lifted up the _Uber Eats_ bag. We ate in silence, allowing me to sink back into the real world. 

"What do you want to do today?" he called out, cleaning dishes. I knew I didn't want to leave the house, and I knew I wanted to rest a bit, leaving one option.

"Another movie day?" I suggested as he entered. He nodded.

After putting on the first movie, I motioned for him to lie down on the couch. I then laid on top of him, pulling a blanket over us and resting my head on his chest. A feeling in my stomach tingled as I laid my head down. _Wait, I couldn't possibly be developing feelings for Dan. He's my best friend! That's ridiculous - get a grip._

"I won't let Josh get you this time. Grab some shut eye," he murmured, stroking my hair. I closed my eyes and began to fall asleep, praying I wouldn't see him.

**\---**

My eyes fluttered open softly, still laying on top of Dan. My hands were curled around his torso, making me blush. _Okay, so I might have a crush._ His eyes were fixated on the screen, oblivious to my awakening.

"Dan," I muttered. He jumped slightly, looking at me. He smiled softly.

"Hello, you feel better?" he questioned, sitting up slightly. I nodded in response.

My eyes flickered to the TV screen to see what he was watching. A horror movie of some sort. I stood up and picked up my phone, checking the time. It was about three pm. I looked at Dan with a quizzical look on my face.

"How didn't you move for six hours?" I asked.

"You were in a pretty deep sleep, I easily just pulled you off and laid you on the couch whenever I got up. It was like you were dead to the world," he explained, sitting up. I made a face of realisation and sat on my armchair.

"Dan I think you've got to go - it's about three," I mentioned. He sat up.

"Shit, you're right. Will you be okay without me?" he questioned.

"Yeah. I'll probably have some dinner and watch something," I smiled, standing up as he did. He kissed my temple and hugged me.

"Thank you for today," I mumbled into his chest.

"No worries," he replied, pulling on his shoes. I watched him walk down the hallway, a small smile on my face. Kelly's comments rung in my ears, my cheeks growing hot.

I shut the front door and made my way to the bathroom to freshen up a bit after the long nap. I brushed my teeth and hair, combing out small knots, after a short while I was satisfied, turning around to exit.

' _What the fuck do you think you're doing, Rose?_ ' Josh growled, making me stumble back in fear. Josh stood in front of me, fuming.

"H-how? Th-this doesn't m-make any s-sense!" I shrieked, pressing myself against the wall. He shook his head, chuckling softly as he approached me.

' _You still haven't figured it out? I'm not a fucking hallucination,_ ' he explained, caressing my cheek. I attempted to push his hand away but he retaliated.' _I don't think so. There are some things we need to... discuss,_ ' he murmured, stepping back. My legs shook in fear, threatening to collapse. 

"What do you want?" I cried. He smirked, chuckling softly. He pinned me against the wall, leaning in close.

' _You, of course, but you need to do something for me. If you don't the consequences will be dire,_ ' he whispered, playing with my hair. I felt so small compared to him. He towered over me like I was a child and his voice made me feel sick and terrified.

' _Get Dan out of the equation. He's already fallen for you, so he's just going to be a problem. Stop hanging out with him, break his heart - I don't care how. Just get it done and get it done quick,_ ' he demanded. I shook my head.

"No, I won't do it. Who are you? You disgust me!" I yelled, pushing him off me. He looked up, and I gasped at his eyes. Entirely black.

' _Unfortunately you were wrong, Rose - demons do exist,_ ' he grinned. I covered my mouth in shock. _No, it can't be. Wake up! WAKE UP!_ I screamed at myself internally, covering my face and head.

' _This isn't a dream, Rose. You can't wake up from reality,_ ' he said in my ear, his lips brushing against my lobe and ghosting along my neck. I pushed him away once more, stumbling slightly.

"Stop it, please," I moaned in pain, a pounding headache and sick stomach making me fall.

' _Don't deny it - you want my touch. You crave it, desire it!_ ' he exclaimed, pinning me down. His nose nuzzled against my cheek, making me tremble. I sobbed, no longer feeling in control. Josh had me in the palm of his hand. Exactly where he wanted.

"Leave me alone!" I weakly yelled, my throat sore and eyes burning. His lips felt cold against my neck, his nails digging into my wrists. He was resisting something.

' _No can do. I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget to get rid of Dan,_ ' he teased before disappearing. I sat up, choking on cries and sobs.

I crawled into the shower and turned on the water, lying in a curled up ball. I didn't want to leave the shower. Not one bit. I longed for Dan to be here, hold me and comfort me, but Josh's words couldn't stop ringing in my ears.


	5. Chapter 4

**D A N ' S P O V**

I sighed deeply once more as my phone went to Rose's voicemail. I hung up and tossed my phone onto my bed, sitting down as a ran my fingers through my hair. _This isn't like her. She hasn't contacted me in a week, and she said she would contact me if anything went wrong or it stopped. It makes no sense_. Something in my gut screamed that there was something wrong, deeply wrong. I picked up my keys and phone.

**Me**

_I'm coming over - you’re not acting like yourself x_

I felt a chill run down my spine, but I shrugged it off and left my flat. I jogged down the staircase and entered the carpark. I quickly found my car and began to drive.

I drove down the long roads, gripping the wheel. As I passed the forest, something within me told me to stop, but before I could, a deer leaped out in front of my car. I slammed on the brakes, luckily not hitting the animal. It looked at my car with curious eyes before running off. I shook it off and continued to drive, willing myself to get to Rose as soon as possible.

I parked my car and began bolting up the stairs, holding onto my copy of her key. I reached her door and knocked rapidly.

"Rose, open up, please," I begged, biting my lip. A few minutes passed with no response, I shoved my key into the lock and opened the door, gasping at the sight of her flat.

Her furniture had been tossed, with sheets, books, pens and plants all over her floor. I shut the door behind me, still in shock.

"R-Rose?" I called out, stepping through cautiously. I peered into her kitchen. No Rose. Bathroom. No Rose. I reached her bedroom. I slowly stepped in, trembling in fear.

"No - go away. Please," I heard Rose sob, making me look towards her voice. She sat on her bed, surprisingly the only untouched thing in her house. Her hair was greasy and matted, her eyes surrounded my dark circles. I saw packets and boxes of food on the floor, making me internally sigh in relief, but she still looked terrible.

"Rose, it's me - it’s Dan. What happened?" I whispered. She looked up, tears covering her face. She shook her head, mumbling 'no' over and over. I sat on the bed with her, reaching out to her. "Please, I only want to help. Rose, please," I murmured, extending my hand. She leaped into my arms, sobbing into my shoulder. I rubbed her back, comforting her like I did one week ago. I picked her up bridal style and walked to the bathroom. I placed her down.

"Can you shower yourself?" I asked softly. She nodded, wiping tears away. I handed her two fresh towels. "Have a shower. I'll clean up and brush your hair. If you need anything, just yell," I smiled, shutting the door behind me. As she showered, I began to clean up her living room, vacuuming and gathering her things. I then did the kitchen and bedroom. I picked up a photo of us that was lying on the floor, reminiscing on the better times. I placed it back on her bedside table. I returned to the bathroom. She was clean and wearing fresh clothes from her basket. I placed her dirty clothes in the hamper, guiding her to the living room.

"Thank you," she weakly said, referring to the living room.

"No worries," I smiled, sitting her down. I began to brush and comb her knots, being gentle as I could. After an hour we were finished,her hair back to its soft and beautiful state. I plaited her hair and let her push it to the side.

"You wanna sleep?" I asked, tucking a few lose hairs behind her ear. She nodded softly, turning around and falling into my embrace. My heart sped up slightly as her breath hit my neck, making me flush. It can be frustrating when you develop feelings for your best friend. You want to keep them safe, happy and you'll be willing to do whatever you want. But you need to be cautious to not overstep any boundaries.

I picked her up bridal style and made my way to her bedroom. I laid her down in her bed, pulling the sheets over her. I sat down in an armchair, inhaling deeply. _Why do the worst things happen to the best people?_

**R O S E ' S P O V**

' _Rose, you're really getting on my fucking nerves,_ ' Josh snarled, my eyes jolting open. My eyes flicked over to Dan who was staring at me. Tears flowed down my face as I remembered Josh's cover over me.

_Dan can't help me._

' _You disobeyed me despite how clear my instructions were? Tsk tsk - I expected more from you, Rose. But you didn't have the fucking guts to break a mans heart. That’s colder than performing the fucking deed,_ ' he chuckled, revealing a pocket knife. My heart rate grew faster at the sight. Josh looked towards Dan. A loud bang alerted Dan, making him jump up. He glanced at me once more before exiting the room. Josh stalked over to the door, locking it.

_No, no, no - please! Let me wake up and I'll do it now. Josh, please._

' _Too late, Rose. Consequences must be met,_ ' he growled, removing the duvet and pinning me down. He ripped off my shirt, kissing my chest. More tears fell, wanting to get him off me. His lips felt disgusting against my skin. ' _This gonna hurt, babe,_ ' he teased, pressing the blade above my right breast. In one quick swipe, he created a deep cut, making me scream internally. He pressed the now bloody blade against my throat, threatening to cut.

' _This is what happens when you disobey me. The more you disobey me, the more cuts you get, the worse your punishments become. So fucking behave,_ ' he warned, standing up.

I jolted up, clutching my chest as blood soaked my ripped shirt. I bit back the tears, not wanting to alert Dan. I stood up and walked over to my desk. I found gauze and medical tape, applying it to the cut. I pulled on a shirt similar from the one I was wearing before crawling back into bed, stuffing the bloody one underneath my mattress. I lied down and closed my eyes, just in time as Dan re entered a few seconds later.

"I wish this would all end," he whispered, holding my hand softly.

_Me too, Dan._ _Me too._


	6. Chapter 6

**R O S E ' SP O V**

"Hey. How are you feeling?" Dan asked as I entered the kitchen, pouring a glass of orange juice.

"Better. Thank you for last night - I shouldn't have pushed you away," I murmured. I grabbed the glass and began to drink.

"It's okay. All that matters is you've become better. Have some eggs and toast - Chris and Matt want to go out tonight." I nearly spat out my drink. _Chris and Matt?_ I hadn't seen them since last year, and I missed them so much.

"Seriously?! I've missed them so much!" I cried, placing the glass down and wrapped may arms around Dan. He chuckled, hugging me.

"I know. It's insane having the whole group back together once more, and I think we're all excited," he smiled, releasing me. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as he shot the smile. I finished my drink and grabbed a plate.

"So what time are we meeting up?" I questioned, sitting at the table. Dan sat across from me, his own plate of food sitting in front of him.

"Around eight, I think. We're thinking drinks at a club?" he suggested, eating some toast. I nodded, breaking the yolks of my eggs before beginning to cut.

"Sounds great." We continued to chat about what we were doing today, organising when we'll get ready and such.

"So I'll pick you up at three, we'll have some dinner and make our way to the club. Chris and Matt will meet us there," he confirmed as he pulled up to my work. I nodded, grabbing my ID out of my bag and throwing it over my neck.  
  
"Awesome, I'll see you then," I said, opening the door. He kissed my cheek and exchanged goodbyes. I blushed as he drove away, turning towards the store and walking in. Kelly gave me a flirtatious grin as I made my way to the back room.

"I saw that sneaky kiss, Miss Dawson. You didn't expect that the fly under my radar, did you?" she teased, walking around the counter.

"One, drop the Titanic jokes - you know I hate them, and two, Dan has been giving me kisses on the cheek for years - it ain't fresh news," I smirked, pushing opening the door. I placed my things away, adjusting my clothes before entering back into the store. Kelly was waiting at the counter, typing up something onto the computer.

"You're feisty this morning. You've got a new spark of some sort," she pointed out, facing me. I blushed slightly, tucking hair behind my ear.

"So I may or may not have developed a crush..." I admitted, making Kelly's eyes pop, a Cheshire Cat grin creeping onto her face.

"FINALLY!" she squealed, jumping up and hugging me tightly. It was moments like this I loved the most. They made me forget about Josh and everything going on, and I appreciated it so much. Even if others didn't realise how much it meant.

**\---**

"CHRIS! MATT!" I shrieked, bolting up to them. I hugged them tightly, sighing softly. Dan joined the group hug, chuckling softly.

"Year of twenty-thirteen are back, am I right?" Matt joked as we broke our hug. "Speaking of which, how is everyone? What's happened in the last couple of months? Who’s dated who? Who nearly got stabbed? I need the gossip on my best friends lives," he continued, leading us into the club. We got in quickly, due to Chris' connections to the bouncer, and grabbed a table in no time. We went over our lives.

Matt had became a music teacher, doing substitution in secondary schools but doing bass lessons on the side. Chris was studying medical at university. We briefly mentioned my sleep paralysis, but changed topic so I wasn't uncomfortable. 

"I'll be back - need to use the bathroom," Dan smiled, standing up. As soon as Dan was out of sight, Matt and Chris turned to me, eagerness in their eyes.

"Spill," Matt demanded, sipping his beer. I furrowed my eyebrows, chuckling softly.

"Are you drunk? What on earth are you on about?" I questioned. Chris shook his head, snickering softly.

"Rose, it's extremely obvious there's something going on between you and Dan. You like him, don't you?" he teased, reminding me of a schoolyard scenario. I blushed softly, shaking my head quickly.

"My god you're absolutely head over heels, wether you've realised it or not. I'm just gonna say it now - go for it. Me and Chris always thought you guys would make the perfect couple," Matt insisted, throwing his hands out. Chris nodded in agreement. I smiled softly, trying to ignore my burning cheeks.

"Fine - I have a crush, but I don't know if we'd ever become something. We’ve been best friends for years and it just might be weird..." I explained, stirring my drink.

"The thing is that's what would make an amazing relationship! You have that bond, and sure maybe you guys would've considered eachother like sister or bother, but we're not in high school anymore. You can take these risks and see how it goes, and if it doesn't go well you can just patch up an move along," Chris proposed, looking at Matt in search of agreement. I rolled my eyes, sipping my drink.

"Okay, okay. I'm just gonna let it happen, so don't you even think about playing matchmaker you two. Understand?" They both nod in unison. Matt raised his glass.

"To love!" he cheered as Chris and I raised our glasses.

' _Don't forget what I said,_ ' Josh's voice echoed.

"Love," we say in unison, knocking glasses together. I stand up as I finished my drink, placing the glass down.

"I'm gonna get something to drink - I'll be back," I smiled, turning around and making my way to the bar. I ordered some shots, sighing deeply. I swallowed down the shots, ignoring the burn and instant hit. I just wanted to forgot about Josh for a night. I rubbed my face and stood up quickly, stumbling into Dan.

"Woah, slow down a bit. You don't want to get sick or dehydrated," Dan chuckled, wrapping his arm around me protectively. He knew this club was dodgy, and didn't plan on leaving my side.

We danced for a while, having a few drinks every so often. Chris and Matt joined a few times, but left after a short while, giving me a secret wink. Dan only drank lower strength drinks, wanting to be as sober as he could for my sake. This was my first time going full out like this, so he was taking as many precautions as he could.

"I need the bathroom! I'll be back," I yelled over the music, a slight slur in my voice.

"Will you be okay?" I nodded, double checking my purse that I had everything.

"Meet me at the bar, and then we can get home," I added on before making my way to the bathroom. Surprisingly enough, the bathrooms were almost empty. After using the toilet and washing my hands I re-entered the hall, bumping into a tall, athletic built guy. I continued walking, not even looking back, but his hand wrapped around my wrist.

"Where do you think you're going, baby girl?" he sleazily smirked, looking me up and down.

"None of your business. Let me go," I spat, being slightly more confident with alcohol in my system. He pulled me close, groping my bum.

"How about a quickie? You're pretty cute," he cackled, sticking out his tongue. I kneed him in his groin before fleeing towards a backdoor.

I bursted into an alley way, yellow street lights faintly illuminating the alley. The man stumbled out as I backed away slowly.

"You fucking bitch! I was gonna be gentle, but now I'm going to be rough," he yelled, running towards me. I shrieked and attempted to run, but I lost my footing, causing me to fall over. He pinned me down, partially ripping my top. I closed my eyes and sobbed, waiting for it to happen, but all of the weight was ripped off. I opened my eyes and sat up quickly.

"H-hello?" I cried out, standing up slowly. I saw a glint of something in the shadows, making me furrow my eyebrows. The man fell out of the shadows, his face cut up with tears in his eyes.

"Help me," he croaked. Before I could reply, he was dragged into the shadows once more, screaming. I turned around, ready to run, but instead of seeing the city streets, I saw a dead end. _It's Josh._

' _I'm so fucking tired of guys thinking they can take something away from me. It was like that when I was alive, and it's still like that when I'm dead,_ ' he muttered. I faced him, gasping at the sight of his bloody clothes and switchblade. The man was lying on the floor, obviously dead. I covered my face in shock, crying.

 _No - no way. You've just had to much to drink. This is just a hallucination._ Josh cackled loudly, looking at me with a mischievous glint in his eye.

' _Sweetheart, I'm not a fucking hallucination! We've gone over this. I'm a demon, and demons can kill people. It’s what we do for a fucking living,_ ' he sighed, still recovering from his laughter.

"J-Josh, please leave me alone," I begged, standing up. My legs trembled as he walked towards me. I began to sob as his hands wrapped around my waist, inhaling softly and kissing my neck.

' _Hm, I heard what Matthew and Christopher said... I don't think that's the best idea, babe. Consequences, consequences,_ ' he murmured. He released me, allowing me to walk forward a little bit. I turned back around, touching my neck softly.

Josh turned around, but instead of seeing the man that was haunting my dreams I saw the man he murdered merely minutes ago.

"We don't want anyone thinking it was you who did now do we?" he chuckled in the mans voice. "You go in back before me. I'll see you later," he said, motioning towards the door. Without even looking back, I moved towards the door without looking back, a single thought ringing though my head.

_Josh just killed a man for me._


	7. Chapter 6

**R O S E ' SP O V**

I woke up the next day with a headache, but that was the last thing on my mind. _Josh killed a man for me._ The thought didn't leave my head, and I couldn't sleep all night. Every time I closed my eyes I could see the image of him covered in blood and holding the switchblade, taunting me. I rubbed my eyes, stepping out of bed. I walked into the kitchen and made myself a coffee. I sat on the couch and turned on the TV, a news channel reporting a story.

' _Dean Cunnington was last seen at roughly 11:20pm last night at the_ Zedd Bar _in Weybridge, Surrey. His friends said he had a small chat with them before leaving, appearing intoxicated. Security footage did show Cunnington go through the backdoor of the bar around ten minutes prior to his final sighting, but the alleyway's footage wasn't able to be recovered and no DNA was found. The situation isn't being treated as suspicious,_ ' the reporter revealed as pictures of Dean appeared on the screen. I bit back tears, not wanting to think about his blood on Josh. I turned off my TV, unable to see the image of Dean anymore. I picked up my phone and clicked Dan's contact.

' _Hello?_ '

"Can you take me somewhere tonight?"

**\---**

"I'm so glad you're doing this, Rose. I'm so proud," Kelly smiled, hugging me softly. I told her that I planned on visiting a support group tonight, where I could meet other people who experienced sleep paralysis. It was the only thing I hadn't tried, and I was hoping I could get something out of it.

"Dan's gonna drop me there and pick me up later," I mentioned, making her smirk a little.

"Oh stop it you. Come on - a customer might walk in," I giggled, calming myself down. Coincidentally enough, a woman entered the store, giving us soft a smile.

"Afternoon, ma'am," Kelly greeted. She walked over to the lady, discussing with her what she was looking for. I looked out the window, admiring the trees and surrounding stores. Although near the city, the small plaza gave off a cosy aesthetic which I adored. The orange brick and beautiful plants added on to it. I smiled softly, but my smile dropped at the sight of Josh standing outside the shop window. I jumped slightly at his presence, but closed my eyes and breathed in. When I opened my eyes, he was gone.

_I'm not gonna let him ruin my day._

"Are you okay? You seem a bit off..." Kelly questioned as the woman left the store. I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, just zoned out a little," I lied, making my way to another customer that had walked in.

**\---**

"Alright, I'll see you later," I called out to Kelly.

"Bye, Rose," she replied as I pushed open the door. Dan was parked just outside, his attention fixated on the sunset. I knocked on his window, opening the door and sliding in.

"You ready?" he asked, pride in his eyes. I nodded, and with that, he turned the ignition on and began to drive.

**\---**

I entered the room, a few minutes before the meeting was suppose to begin. I inhaled softly, making my way towards the refreshments. I didn't touch anything, simply scanning the people around me. I felt a tap on my shoulder, making me turn towards the culprit. I saw a man standing next to me. He had brunette hair and a stubble covering his face.

"Hey, I'm Max," he smiled, extending his hand towards me. I took it gently and shook it, feeling comfort and warmth.

"I'm Rose, nice to meet you," I replied as we finished our greet. He had a boyish look to his face, but had a mature and strong aura to him.

"So how long have you been coming to this support group?" he asked, motioning to the seats and members chatting amongst themselves.

"This is my first visit. What about you?" I answered, sipping the water.

"First time as well. Wanna stick together?" he grinned, a hopeful yet playful glint in his eye. I giggled softly, nodding.

"I would love to." We chatted a bit before the meeting began, getting to know each other. Max worked as an engineer in a shop near the one I worked at. A woman called us over and we sat down together as a group. Introductions went quickly, and we soon began to tell our stories.

"I turned to drugs, mainly alcohol, to cope with it. It ruined my life and I wasn't on my feet for about two years. This is my third year of being sober and I finally reconnected with my family a few months ago," Dave cried, wiping his tears away. We all clapped, giving him empathetic smiles and making small comments of support.

"Inspirational, Dave. We’re so glad you've got your life back on track. Now how about we move onto the next few people, if they'd like to share?" our organiser, Daisy, offered, motioning towards Max and I.

"My name is Rose, and I've been experiencing sleep paralysis for about two months now, almost every single night. I- uh, sorry. I'm visited by a man who calls himself Josh. At first glance, he seems like a nice looking guy, but he's been the cause and centre of my fear. He torments me, like describing how he'll kill my loved ones, or how he can hurt me. And it's gotten worse. I've started seeing him outside of my usual episodes. I'll be walking home at night and he'll appear, do whatever, then vanish into thin air. No medication or form of therapy has helped - he doesn't go away," I whispered, my eyes forming tears.

"Thank you for opening up like that, Rose. You've been though a bit, and we're all here to support you." I quietly thanked them, my gaze turning towards Max.

"Hi, my name is Max. I've experienced sleep paralysis for almost a year now. At least once a week, I'll see this... creature. It's entirely black, but it's skin... drips from it, like a black sludge. It has no face apart from a mouth. All it does is stare... nothing has gotten rid of it. No meds, doctors or therapy," he explained, fiddling with his thumbs. Daisy thanked Max for opening up. Our eyes met and something within his begged.

They begged for something. _Anything_.


	8. Chapter 7

**R O S E ' S P O V**

"So how was it?" Kelly asked, sipping her coffee.

"It was... amazing. I was able to connect with so many people and share stories. I finally found people who actually understand what I'm going through," I explained, a smile on my face as I went over the night once more through my head. "I met this guy named Max. We really connected, and coincidentally enough, he works up at John's place," I mentioned, nodding towards the engineer store. She looked towards it before looking back.

"You know, we might even be able to find you a partner, Kelly," I joked. She blushed lightly, fiddling with her coffee cup. _Speak of the devil._ My eyes wandered over to Max walking towards us, waving slightly.

"Hey, Max!" I called, making some space.

"Sup. Who is this lovely lady that you're speaking to?" he asked as he sat down, gazing at Kelly. _This is amazing. I gotta get them together_

"Max, this is my coworker and friend Kelly. Kelly, this is my friend Max who I met last night at the support group," I introduced, smiling softly. They shook hands, Kelly completely glowing. I stood up, brushing my pants and shirt before picking up my bag. "Well, I better go back to the shop. I'll catch you guys later," I lied, making my way back towards the shop. _From what I've learnt about Max, they're gonna be perfect together._

"What happened to lunch plans with Kelly?" Dan asked. I looked over towards the sound of voice, seeing him parked on the side of the road. I crossed my arms, a smirk on my face.

"What happened to work?" I shot back, walking towards the car.

"Not on today. I was about to come join, but it seems I've just missed it," he pouted jokingly. I opened the car door, sliding in.

"Nah - I just decided to play a little bit of matchmaker. So how about we go somewhere?" I chuckled. He shrugged his shoulders, pulling out into the street.

"Sounds good. Where to?"

**\---**

Dan and I walked into a burger place, grabbing a booth near the front. We talked about last night, how our days have been and such. The reason why he wasn't working today was because they had hired new staff earlier in the week, and Dan had the opportunity to switch out some shifts for different times and days as he had been working there for so long. A waitress came over and began to take our orders.

"Awesome. Your orders will be over soon, lovebirds," she smiled before walked away. We both began to blush a little, Dan looking like a tomato shortly.

"Uh, that was a bit awkward..." he said, smiling like an idiot. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Oh well - nothing we can do about it," I mumbled. We continued talking, a light blush still on our cheeks.

We soon got our drinks and burgers. We ate them quickly, both of us starving. Once we were finished, we paid and made our way back to the car. He dropped me home, leaving a small kiss on my cheek. I closed the door, blushing softly.

Dropping my keys onto my kitchen counter, I made my way to my bedroom as I hummed a small tune. I dropped my bag at the door and closed the curtains. I changed into my pyjamas, before turning around to walk to the living room.

Josh stood in my doorway, making me jump. He walked over to me, grabbing me by the wrist before dragging me out into the living room. He pinned me against the wall, breathing heavily.

' _You're really fucking pushing it now, not even trying to keep him away. Well, I'm done. I'm fucking done with these games!_ ' he fumed, kicking my armchair over. ' _I LOVE YOU, SO YOU ARE MINE!_ ' he yelled, all the doors in my apartment slamming shut. I walked forward, my body shaking. Was it because I was afraid? Or angry? I couldn't even comprehend what I was feeling anymore. But that didn't matter - I was sick of Josh and his possessiveness over me.

"NO I AM NOT, JOSH. LEAVE ME ALONE! I WILL NEVER LOVE YOU!" I screamed back, watching as his eyes turn darker by the second.

' _I WILL NOT LET ANY OTHER MAN OR WOMAN TAKE YOU AWAY FROM ME, YOU ARE MINE AND THAT'S HOW IT'LL BE FOR ETERNITY. FUCK! GOD! DON'T YOU SEE WHAT YOU DO TO ME?! I-IT'S LIKE YOUR HEARTBEAT LIVES WITHIN MY CHEST, CONSTANTLY BEATING RAPIDLY, AND I NEED TO BE NEAR YOU IN ORDER TO MAKE IT STOP!_ ' Josh screamed, kicking my furniture. He stopped, looking towards me. He ran over and kissed me, grasping the back of my thigh. I fought against him, pushing him off. He stumbled back slightly. He looked back at me, fire in his eyes. He was pissed off.

"D-don't do that," I whispered, my voice quivering. I stepped back as he towered over me, looking down at me in anger.

' _Why won't you let me in? I can give you anything!_ ' he pressed, his hands shaking and face red. I was scared to admit the truth, and he could sense it. He probably figured it out. I swallowed my fear, deciding to tell him. Although he screamed at and hurt me, I knew he would never kill me or put me in danger.

"I have feelings for Dan," I murmured, staring at the ground. I closed my eyes and cowered slightly as I heard him destroy my furniture, his grunts and growls on the verge of a scream.

' _THAT FUCKING DICK DOESN'T DESERVE YOU! I'LL SLIT HIS THROAT IF YOU EVER LET HIM IN! HE WILL NOT TAKE YOU AWAY FROM ME!_ ' he boomed, grabbing me by the arms. He held me close to his face, gazing into my watery eyes. He pushed me down onto the couch, pinning me down with his body weight. I felt myself become paralysed.

' _You belong to me - no one else! I swear if he touches you or your innocence I'm going to break his neck!_ ' Josh growled, showing off his pin sharp canine teeth.

 _You're a monster. Why can't you leave me alone?_ Josh's angered expression shifted into a pissed expression as he heard my thought, angered by my disobedience.

' _You are mine, and no one is taking you away from me,_ ' he snarled. Before I could even reply, he grabbed my head and turned it to the side before connecting his lips to my throat. He nibbled and sucked at my throat, making me wince at the pain. After a few minutes and a few changes of spot, he stopped.

' _My mark is there now. No one can give you this mark but me - understand?_ ' he barked. I gazed into his dark eyes, confused.

 _I don't even know what you've done to me_. He chuckled pitifully, some hair falling in front of his eyes.

' _You can find out in the morning_.' He kissed me once more before he got off me and disappeared.


	9. Chapter 8

**R O S E ' S P O V**

I woke up on my couch, my neck sore from whatever Josh gave me. I stood up, my legs wobbly, and walked into my bedroom. I grabbed my phone out of my bag before making my way towards my mirror. I inspected the large, purple bruises scattered along my throat, lightly touching the tender skin. I pulled up the Safari app, tapping on the search bar. I typed 'Bruises caused by sucking', anxiously waiting for the results to pop up.

_A hickey, hickie or love bite in British English, is a bruise or bruise-like mark caused by the kissing or sucking of the skin, usually on the neck or arm. While biting might be part of giving a hickey, sucking is sufficient to burst small superficial blood vessels under the skin._

_A hickey?_ I did more research, and unsurprisingly, it had sexual and romantic connections. I tossed my phone on my bed, sighing softly. _I can't let Dan see it_. I picked up my phone, searching on how to hide it. After many reading magazine articles and Wikihow pages, I decided my best bet was makeup.

I checked the time, noting I had about two hours before work. _Breakfast, shower, and then I'll start on this hickey_. Nodding in agreement to myself, I began to make my way to the kitchen. I poured myself a bowl of cereal, watching the news as I ate. Dean's body still hadn't been found, so the hunt was slowly building up to a nation wide one.

After breakfast, I jumped into the shower, hoping the warm water could somehow lighten the bruise. After drying myself and getting changed I began applying some makeup, trying to be as subtle as I could when it came to the throat. If I caked it on too much, Kelly would notice straight away. Pleased with myself, I put away the makeup and checked the time.

The bell rang, making me sigh I relief. _Thank goodness. I'm not sure how longer I could stay in here._ I walked to the door, opening it to see Dan in my doorway. Surprise flashed across his face as he took in my appearance.

"Rose... you look beautiful," he breathed, making me blush softly. Straightening my shoulders, I shrugged on my bag.

"Thank you. Ready to go?" I asked. He nodded, his gaze still locked on me. I followed him into the hall, locking the door behind me before walking down the staircase. _I pray I don't sweat this makeup off._

"Thanks for the lift," I smiled as we pulled up outside the shop, turning towards Dan. He shrugged, looking at me.

"No problem," he replied. I leant over, kissing him on the cheek before saying goodbye. His cheeks turned bright red as I stepped out and walked into the store.

To my surprise, Kelly wasn't waiting for me at the counter like every morning. Confused, I made my way to the back whilst calling her name. I spotted her as I pushed the door open, typing away at her phone.

"So, I assume that you hit things off with Max?" I smirked, making her look up. Blush spread across her cheeks, assuming I was correct. There were only two things that made her type madly at her phone like that - gossip, or a boy she's infatuated with. Putting her phone back in locker, she crossed her arms.

"Full on makeup? Perhaps, you've dolled up for Mr Flint," she teased as I put my bag in my locker.

"Perhaps, indeed," I lied, going along with her fantasies as we made our way back into store. As Kelly flipped the sign over to 'we're open', I stood behind the counter, ready to serve customers.

We served a few different people - mums with daughters, husbands shopping for wives, so on so forth. We were having a moderate day, thankfully. It rolled around to lunch time quickly and Kelly and I’s break. She stretched her arms as she came out of the back with her wallet and phone.

"So just a cap and cheese ham toastie?" She repeated, pushing her sunglasses over her eyes.

"Yep. You’re the best, Kelly," I beamed as she walked out the door. Max came up next to her, hugging her tightly before walking with her. _She'll be occupied for a while - better get the reports started_.

I made my way to the back room, humming a small tune to myself. I opened the box, pulling out a fresh folder and small stack of papers. I placed them on a shelf before sliding the box back in place. A hand grabbed my shoulder, spinning me around before pinning me against the shelf.

' _Hey, sweetheart,_ ' Josh murmured, his lips formed into a smirk. His hand pushed away the hair, exposing my throat. ' _Why did you cover my marks up? Oh, of course... can't let Dan know. That would break his heart,_ ' he teased as he traced where the hickeys were, his cold touch making me shiver. Tears formed in my eyes as he leaned in, his breath hitting me softly.

' _You know, I've recently realised something. You getting rid of him is going to be harder now that you've developed feelings for that scum,_ ' Josh whispered into my ear as he slid his hand to my bum, grasping it tightly.

"Let go of me!" I angrily muttered, trying to pry his hands off me. He only chuckled at my pathetic attempts, keeping a stone hard grip on me.

' _So I am giving you one last chance. Get rid of Dan within one week. If not, I will make your life a living hell and force you to watch him die,_ ' he threatened, gripping tighter. He passionately kissed me before disappearing. I slid down, trembling and crying.

**D A N ' S P O V**

"Kelly!" I called out to the dirty-blonde haired girl a few meters away from me. She turned to me, a big smile on her face. A man accompanied her. He had brunette hair and a stubble on his face. He seemed familiar.

"Why hello, Mr Flint! How can I help?" she replied, carrying two cups of coffee in a holder in one hand and holding two wrapped items in her other.

"Can you give me some advice... please," I asked quietly as she stood in front of me. Her eyes brightened as the words escaped my lips, obviously excited. She handed the items to the man next to her, telling him something quietly. He nodded before walking away.

"Spill," she demanded as she pulled me down onto a bench.

"So, as you know, Rose and I have been friends for about seven years... and well, I've developed feelings for her... and I wanna ask her out," I mumbled sheepishly, blushing as the words fell out of my mouth. She squealed quietly, hugging me tightly.

"Please, please, please! For the love of God please do it! If you don't do it, I'll never forgive you," she said simply, seriousness in her voice. She stood up and I followed suit.

"Okay. Tomorrow." I confirmed. She hugged me once more before making her way towards the store, a little hop in her step. I smiled to myself, excited for whatever tomorrow held.


	10. Chapter 9

**R O S E ' S P O V**

"Rose?" Max's voice called out. I sniffled quietly, not wanting Max to see me like this. I stood up shakily, rubbing my face to get rid of my red eyes, but I fell down, crashing against the shelves. Max quickly entered the back, concern spread across his face. "Jesus..." he whispered to himself before making his way to me. He crouched down, lifting me up a little.

"What happened?" he asked, inspecting my body for injuries. I rubbed my eyes, trying to get rid of the evidence. _What's the point? Just tell him._

"I saw Josh, and I got a bit spooked to say the least," I joked, trying to block out what he had only said to me merely minutes ago. Max gave me a look of sympathy before helping me stand up.

"I'm sorry, Rose. Do you perhaps wanna take the rest of the day off? Kelly said that Steph is happy to fill in this week," he offered, making me giggle.

"Wow. You two seem to really know each other - it's cute." I laughed, my mood brightening a bit. A smile spread across his face, a light blush across his cheeks. 

"Come on," he murmured, brushing my joke off. He sat me down at the counter, letting me eat my lunch. Kelly joined us a few minutes later, gasping at the state of me. She ran over, cupping my face softly.

"What happened?!" She questioned, worry in her eyes. I placed down my toastie.

"I had a fall - that's all. But I've hit my head pretty badly, so Max thinks I should head home," I lied, resulting in a quizzical look from Max. She gasped once more, nodding in understanding. She pulled out her phone, tapping somethings.

"I just saw Dan - he can probably give you a lift," she told me, dialling his number before heading into the backroom. _Dammit. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this to Dan until tomorrow._ Max turned to me, the look still on his face.

"Why did you lie to Kelly?" he asked, confusion in his voice.

"She worries a lot about me. At the moment, she only knows about the sleep paralysis, but if I tell her about seeing Josh outside of those episodes, she'll freak out. And I don't want her to worry about me all the time - she doesn't need to," I told him, finishing my coffee. He smiled once more, crossing his arms.

"You're a kind person, Rose. Don’t let anyone take that away from you," he said. Before I could thank him, Kelly re-entered the store with my bag, hanging up her phone.

"Dan will be here in a second. I hope you feel better, Rose," she frowned. I thanked her, standing up as I saw Dan appear outside the store. Her eyes suddenly brightened before grabbing me and pulling me towards the door. She pushed it open, waving at Dan.

"Here she is - make sure she get home safe. You know what to do," she said to Dan. He nodded, before beginning to walk with me. I chuckled softly, looking back.

"What was that about?" I questioned as we stopped in front of his car. He inhaled deeply, staring into my eyes.

"Alright, here we go," he mumbled, making me raise an eyebrow. _What is he on about?_

"I-I really like you, Rose. I know we're best friends, but I would love to take you out on a date. I-I understand if you don't want to, but I'd be grateful if I could," Dan mumbled, smiling sheepishly. My eyes flickered to Josh, who appeared behind Dan.

' _Don't you fucking dare, Rose. I will slit his throat,_ ' he growled, shooting daggers at me with his eyes.

_If you hurt him I will not hesitate to stop talking to you._

"When are we going?" I smiled cheerfully as Dan's sheepish smile turned into the happiest grin on earth, his cheeks pink.

"Uh- I- um, wherever you'd like to go!" he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Take me to wherever you think I'll like it the most," I answered. Dan looked up, his eyes bright.

"Tomorrow night. I'll pick you up at six," he told me, fidgeting. 

"Sounds good," I replied. We entered the car, both grinning like idiots. We reached my house in no time, sadly.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow," I confirmed, kissing him on the cheek. I stepped out onto the pavement before watching him drive away. I felt Josh's fingers curl around the back of my neck, gripping tightly. 

' _Don't you dare fucking disobey me like that again. You're lucky I let him slide just then,_ ' he muttered in my ear. I rolled my eyes, ignoring his aggression.

 _Too bad, Josh. I'm going on that date wether you like it or not._ He appeared in front of me, his hand around my throat.

' _You're going to wish you never said that later, Rose. I'm going to have to give you a punishment when I see you tonight,_ ' he threatened, making me tremble softly.

"I-I'm sorry, Josh," I tearfully whispered. He smirked softly, letting his hand drop.

' _It's a bit too late for that now, babe,_ ' he chuckled, disappearing as rain drops began to fall.

_I don't ever want to sleep again._

**\---**

My eyes opened softly, my vision slightly blurred. Josh stood at the foot of my bed, a smirk on his face.

' _Ah, you're awake. Now we can start,_ ' he chuckled, pulling my duvet off my body. Climbing onto my bed, he grabbed me by the ankles and pulled me towards him. He ripped off my shirt, leaving hickeys along my throat, collarbones and chest. He tugged my shorts off, eyeing my half-naked body. Tears rolled down my cheeks and onto my pillows as Josh sat on top of me.

_Please, Josh. Don't do this._

' _You should've thought about that when you disobeyed me,_ ' he smirked, the light from the thunder illuminating his face. He dragged his hands down my soft, exposed skin, gripping my waist roughly. He pulled out a switchblade, and I began to panic. He cut my skin, ignoring my begging for him to stop. He leaned down to the biggest cut and began to drink my blood, moaning quietly.

' _You're fucking delicious,_ ' he groaned, licking all my other cuts. My tears were coming quicker, like a flood.

' _Remember my proposal. Within than a week - you've still got time, baby,_ ' Josh murmured against my skin.

 _Why don't you do it? Wouldn't it be_ _easier for you to get rid of people from my life?_ He paused, looking up at me.

' _If it was that easy, I would've done it by now,_ ' he explained, kissing me harshly. The metallic taste of blood in my mouth made me feel sick. I closed my eyes, praying that he would leave.

' _Think about what's best for you, Rose,_ ' he growled into my ear before letting me fall back asleep.


	11. Chapter 10

**R O S E ' S P O V**

I woke the next morning with caked blood all over my torso and thighs. Luckily, many of the cuts had already began to scab. I fell out of bed, hissing as my hand went to the largest cut. The cut where he drank my blood. I shivered at the thought of it, pushing myself up.

I made my way to the bathroom, inspecting all the cuts along my skin. I grabbed a washcloth, wetting it with warm water. I washed away the caked blood, leaving thin, red slits. I applied bandages, sighing softly. I grabbed a dressing gown before making my way to the kitchen. I sobbed as I ate breakfast, miserable from all that's happened.

I changed into a pair of jeans and plain shirt, tossing a sweater over the top. I brushed my hair out, tying it into a lose braid before applying foundation over the hickies.

' _Rose?_ ' I heard Dan call out as I slipped on my shoes, making me furrow my eyebrows. I grabbed my bag before making my way to the living room where Dan stood.

"You must be eager to see me," I joked, hugging him.

"Haha, very funny. I texted you when you didn't answer the door, so I let myself in," he explained, tucking some loses hairs behind my ear.

"Oh... well, let's get going!" I exclaimed, opening my door. We made our way to the car and drove to work. I kissed Dan on the cheek before getting into the store.

"Hello, Mrs Flint," Kelly called out, mischief in her voice.

"How did you find out so fast?" I asked, making my way into the back room, her following close behind.

"Oh I don't know... because I'm the orchestrator of this?" she revealed as I placed my bag away. I gasped melodramatically, turning to her.

"Oh my! How could I have possibly not realised that you, the villainous Kelly, was behind this!" I shrieked, posing like a damsel in distress. I dropped the act, chuckling a little bit. "Well thank you, conductor. So, all we need to do is get the store re-organised and we're off the rest of the day?" I checked, pulling out a few boxes.

"Yep. Then we'll grab lunch and I'll help you get ready for your date!" she squealed, grabbing stacks of folders. I shook my head, laughing at her excitement.

"Okay, how did you know about that?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow. I placed the boxes down, turning to her.

"Dan was so excited he literally called me as soon as he got home," she giggled, opening files. I rolled my eyes, pulling out more boxes. _What would I do without her?_

**\---**

"Okay, so I'm thinking... sexy casual," Kelly said, pulling out a cocktail dress that I wore to someone's twenty-first. I shook my head, shooing her away.

"Dan isn't taking me to a nightclub or fancy restaurant - he never takes girls there," I pointed out, biting my lip. She nodded, turning towards me.

"Well, knowing Dan... he'll probably take you to somewhere related to the both of you, the cheesy guy he is. Hmm, what about... blue skinnies, this cropped top, boots and leather jacket?" she proposed, pulling out the items of clothing. "Yep, this is the one - no arguments!" she exclaimed, handing the clothes to me before leaving the room. _What an adorable dork._ I pulled on the outfit, admiring myself in the mirror, a big smile on my face.

"You can come in!" I called, turning towards the door. The door opened, Kelly entering like a flash. She gasped at my appearance.

"I'M A GENIUS - YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL!" she cheered, hugging me tightly. She inspected my face, murmuring to herself.

"Alright, you gotta doll yourself up again. But, I'll leave you to that part - I'm absolutely crap at makeup," she smirked, pulling me into the bathroom. _Crap. The hickies._

"Hey, can you make a cup of tea, please? I'm a bit jittery," I lied, giving her a soft smile. She nodded before exiting. I exhaled, quickly removing the makeup I applied earlier before reapplying fresh makeup. I continued doing the rest of my face, Kelly re-entering a few minutes later.

"Damn, girl - you’re looking great!" she commented, placing the cup on the counter.

"Thanks," I grinned, finishing my mascara. I took a sip of my tea, checking the time. _Five to six already?! He'll be here in five minutes!_

"Kelly, he's gonna be here in five-" The doorbell interrupted me, making me furrow my eyebrows. I looked towards Kelly, giving her a look of confusion. She shrugged her shoulders, taking the cup of tea out of my hands. We walked to the door, opening it. Dan stood on the other side, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry I'm early," he chuckled awkwardly.

"It's okay. Well, here's your purse. Have fun, you two!" Kelly beamed, handing me my purse. I mouthed 'thank you' to her as I followed Dan into the hall. He intertwined his fingers with mine, giving me a soft smile.

"You look amazing. I'm really excited for tonight," he complimented as we walked down the stairs. I tucked some hair behind my ears, blushing softly.

"Thank you. You look handsome. I was so excited and nervous I need a cup of tea to calm myself down," I laughed, looking at him. He thanked me, laughing as well. I wasn't gonna let Josh ruin my night, no matter how hard he tried.

**\---**

"Dan, I swear if you murder me, I'm gonna haunt you for the rest of my life," I boldly stated, waving my arm around. When I entered the car, he gave me a blindfold as the location of our date was a surprise, but he promised I wouldn't be mad at him and it would be worth it, so I trusted him. He chuckled at my comment, noting that we were almost there. A few minutes went by and we stopped.

"Alright. When I lift the blindfold, you can open your eyes," he whispered in my ear. I nodded as his hands touched my face. I felt the blindfold lift, so I opened my eyes. I gasped at the sight.

"No way! How- I can't even comprehend..." I became speechless at the sight of our old spot. It was a small, little location at a beach near our old high school where we used to come after school with Chris, Matt and our other friends. He had set up a small dinner around our pit, with food, drink and music. I turned to him, a big smile on my face.

"This is perfect," I told him, pulling him towards a chair. We sat together, having dinner whilst we talked. The whole night felt magical. Cliché, but I could careless. After all the food and drink was gone, we danced for a little, humming along to the tunes.

"Can I do something?" Dan asked, gazing into my eyes.

"Sure,” I replied, giggling a little. Our lips connected, and we shared a soft, sweet kiss. I began to blush as we finished, surprised and satisfied with the kiss.

"I-I hope you don't mind I did that," he awkwardly chuckled, his cheeks a soft pink as well. I shook my head.

"Honestly, if someone told me a couple months ago that I was going to kiss my best friend, I would've laughed. But I didn't mind it and hope we go on a second date," I smiled, hugging him softly. We kissed once more before getting back into the car. We drove back to my place. I kissed him, making him chuckle.

"That's the first time you've given me an actual kiss before leaving my car," he pointed out jokingly. I rolled my eyes, stepping out. I blew him a kiss as he drove away, a smile still on my face. I entered my apartment, locking the door before turning around. Josh sat on my armchair, looking at me. He stood up, making his way towards me.

' _You love toying with me, don't you? Or maybe you just really want Dan dead,_ ' Josh snarled, pressing me against the wall. I shook my head, tears forming in my eyes.

"Josh, stop it! I just want to be happy with him. Please!" I begged, the happiness I felt gone within seconds.

' _BUT YOU CAN BE HAPPIER WITH ME!_ ' he screamed, kissing me passionately as i attempted to push him off.

' _Josh, don't have too much fun with her - gotta save the best ‘til last,_ ' a familiar voice cackled, resulting in Josh to let me go. Out of the shadows stepped out Max. I gasped, covering my mouth. ' _Sorry, Rose. Josh sent me to keep an eye on you, get a bit of a more personal look in your life. I was supposed to be your mate for a while, but someone had to fuck up his own plan,_ ' Max joked, pushing back his hair.

' _Piss off, Max. I'm busy,_ ' Josh growled, stepping forward. Max tsked, shaking his head.

' _Payment and I'll be on my merry-fucking-way,_ ' he snapped back, pushing Josh. Josh crossed his arms, staring into Max's eyes.

' _I don't have your shit yet, so it's going to have to wait,_ ' Josh muttered bitterly. Max cracked his knuckles before rolling up his sleeves.

' _I'm not going until I get my fucking payment,_ ' he growled, pushing him roughly.

' _Fine - let's have it your way,_ ' Josh snarled. Josh threw Max into the wall, kneeing him in the stomach. Max grabbed his throat in response, pulling him into a headlock. Josh flipped Max over, pinning him to the ground before punching him in the jaw. I scrambled for the door, but Josh turned towards me, pointing his arm towards me. I fell down onto my side, paralysed.

' _Sorry, baby - I'll be done with this fucking scum in a second!_ ' he yelled, landing another punch. I tried to get up, but my body wouldn't respond. I looked towards Josh and Max, screaming internally at the sight.

Josh's hands were on the sides of Max's head, crushing his head as he screamed in agony. Blood began to spurt in between Josh's fingers, pouring onto my floor. A few minutes later, Josh let go of Max, letting his limp body drop to the ground. He turned to me, a glint in his eye.

' _Now what are we gonna do with you?_ '


	12. Chapter 11

**R O S E ' S P O V**

' _Now what are we gonna do with you?_ ' Josh chuckled, cracking his neck. His hands oozed with Max's blood, dripping and shining in the light. He raised his left arm, reaching towards me. My body flew towards Josh, falling into his embrace. He pinned me against the wall, his hand around my throat. I felt myself squirm at the feeling of Max's blood and my skin, tears brought to my eyes. ' _It's obvious you're not going to abide to my wishes, so I think I need to remind you who you belong to,_ ' he snarled, throwing me over his shoulder. I screeched, kicking and hitting him repeatedly. He only chuckled darkly, throwing me onto my bed.

"LET ME GO!" I cried, fat, hot tears treating down my face as Josh tied my wrists to my bed with t-shirts. I sniffled, furrowing my eyebrows. "This is a waste of time, you could just put me under paralysis." I hiccuped as he climbed on top of me. He flicked open his switchblade, ripping off my shoes and pulling my jeans off.

' _It's more entertaining to hear your screams and watch you struggle pathetically,_ ' he cackled, tying my ankles before pressing the cold blade against my thigh. I shrieked as the blade cut my skin, the vibrant red against my pale skin acting like a beam of light. I dug my nails into the palms of my hands as he carved up my thigh, the sound of my blood hitting the sheets and Josh's rapid breathing making me feel sick. I bit back my screams and cries as much as I could, not wanting to give him his satisfaction, but the feeling of him slitting my skin made me cry out in disgust and pain.

' _It's okay, baby. All done,_ ' he teasingly cooed, resting his hand on my thigh to close for comfort. He reached over, untying one of my wrists. ' _Surely this will be a pretty fucking clear message, right?_ ' he snarled, grabbing my head and forcing me to look at my brutalised thigh. Despite the thick blood covering my thigh, I could see what the slits said: ‘Josh’. Although they weren't extremely large, I could tell they would scar if not treated properly. My body shook, tears falling out of my eyes.

' _Beautiful, isn't it?_ ' he smirked, admiring the sadistic vandalism. His fingers became bloody as he traced the slits, some sort of psychotic, fascination in his eyes. ' _Now no man will touch you, Rose - not even Dan. It may be the twenty first century, baby, but the respect for other men's property will never die out,_ ' he mused, crawling back on top of me. I attempted to push him off me, but he pinned down my free hand. He kissed me aggressively, grabbing my breast as he pressed his body against mine. I squirmed underneath his body, feeling extremely violated and uncomfortable. His hand moved down to my bum, squeezing tightly and moaning into my mouth. I felt a bulge against my crotch, making me freak out and bite down onto his lip.

' _Fuck!_ ' he yelled in pain, releasing my wrist. I pushed him off me, untying my other wrist and ankles. ' _Rose, you are in so much trouble,_ ' he growled, standing up. I leaped off my bed, bolting into the bathroom. I locked the door, falling to the floor as I clutched my bleeding thigh. My body trembled as he banged against the door, a chill running down my spine.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I screamed, sobbing loudly. The banging stopped abruptly, giving the door one last shake. I pulled myself up, opening my medical cabinet and grabbing gauze, anaesthetic. I wet a towel, wiping away the blood to reveal his name. I bit back a sob as I poured the anaesthetic over the wound, not crying because of the pain, but crying because his name was on my skin. I was marked. I wrapped up my thigh before limping into the tub. I lied down, closing my eyes. 

**\---**

My eyes fluttered open, my thigh throbbing and throat raw. I lifted myself out of the tub, my body aching. I limped over to the sink, washing off all the dried blood and makeup off my neck and face. I stripped down and had a shower, cleaning all my cuts as I cried once more. _Why? Why do I have to be his item of possession? What did I do in life to deserve a fate like this?_ I dried myself, sterilising my cuts and applying fresh bandages before making my way to my bedroom. I dropped my towel, pulling on my underwear.

"Ah, fuck - sorry, Rose," I heard Dan exclaim, making me jump and quickly cover myself up. I turned towards the doorway, seeing Dan standing there facing the hallway.

"What the hell? What are you doing here?" I questioned, quickly pulling a t-shirt and pair of tights on.

"Uh, I-I texted you all morning, asking if you wanted to get breakfast but you didn't reply. I got worried after a while so I came over," he explained. I shook my head, laughing softly.

"You can turn around. What time is it? I was really exhausted when I got home, so I pretty much was out instantly," I lied, giggling at the red faced boy in front of me.

"It's eleven forty-seven," he told me. _Already?_ I walked to the front door, grabbing my phone out of my purse. It was dead.

"Are you okay? You look really... shaken," Dan asked as he entered the room, concern in his eyes as he studied me. I chuckled, rubbing my arms.

"Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I be fine? We had a good night, and I was exhausted-" He cut me off by holding my face in his hands, gazing into my eyes with sadness.

"Rose, you're not okay - you’re crying," he whispered, wiping away my tears. I sobbed into his arms, clutching onto his t-shirt. He wrapped his arms around me as he kissed my temple repeatedly, mumbling words of comfort to me. He picked me up bridal style, carrying me over to the bedroom. We laid in bed together as he plaited my hair and let me calm down.

"I-I had a r-really bad episode l-last night. H-he carved my s-skin, a-and it f-felt so real! I could feel the b-blood, the b-blade!" I exclaimed, looking into his eyes in desperation and fear. He leant down, kissing me softly as he held my face softly.

"I won't ever let you be hurt, okay? Never," he promised, caressing my cheek. He kissed me a few more times before cuddling with me for a while.

_I hope Kelly's hypothesis is right._

_I pray to God it is..._


	13. Chapter 12

**R O S E ' S P O V**

"I still can't believe it's already been a month, Rose," Kelly shrieked in excitement, referring to Dan and I's anniversary that was coming up soon. After the night of Dan and I's first date, Josh just kind of... disappeared. I hadn't seen him or heard from him, perhaps because of Dan. And in regards to Max, it seemed like no one remembered who he was. Like he never existed. It kind of saddened me in a way. There were points when it seemed like he genuinely cared about Kelly and I, but I guess in the end all that he was was a pawn.

"I know right? I have no idea what I'm going to do though," I sighed, eyeing items in shops as we passed them. Kelly shrugged her shoulders, sipping on her boba tea. 

"I'm sure he'll love whatever you get him. Man, I really wished I had a relationship like yours - you guys are so cute!" she pouted jokingly, making me giggle. _If only you knew the truth_.

We sat down on a bench, having a small chat about our weeks and plans. The shop recently hired more staff, so Kelly and I were having more breaks and a little bit less shifts. But we weren't complaining, all that mattered was that our boss treated us fairly and that the pay was good.

"So, anniversary - what's the plan?" She pressed, rubbing her hands together. I rolled my eyes at her eagerness, a small smile on my lips.

"Staying in for the night. Dinner, movies and chilling, exchange gifts, sleep," I explained, grabbing Kelly's boba tea and taking a sip. She gasped, swiping it away from me.

"I believe the term you're looking for is Netflix and chill! Is my young, innocent Rose partaking in pre-martial sex? Shame!" she shrieked, not being able to contain her laughter. I narrowed my eyes at her whilst giving her a shove.

"There are kids, 'madam'," I mocked, scanning for any odd looks. She only shrugged her shoulders pulling me up. "Also, for your information, Dan and I aren't intimate," I snorted, inspecting stores as we walked past them. I peered into a few clothing stores, shaking my head. _Nothing_.

"I think we can change that tonight! Time to go to the ladies store!" she replied, pointing at a pink-coloured store. I shook my head, removing my wrist from her hand.

"When Dan and I make plans, you'll be the first person I'll go to - trust me," I laughed, walking past the store. I froze as I laid my eyes on it. _That's it - of course!_ In a bookshop window, sat a hardcover, special edition of _Lord of the Flies_ , Dan's favourite book. I practically flew into the store, purchasing it immediately and marching out the store in pride.

"That was quick," Kelly chuckled as she caught up to me, nudging me softly. I couldn't wait to see his reaction, the excitement building up like a volcano. _He's gonna love it._

**\---**

I fiddled with my t-shirt, dusting off fluff and other bits of lint. In the cover of the book, I had written, ‘To the most caring, beautiful, humble man in the world. I would fight to the death on an island to get back to you. Happy one month x.’ In all honesty, we both didn't really care for a one month anniversary, but we decided screw it - we've known each other for five years, so let's do it. The doorbell rang and I exhaled, dusting myself once more. I pulled open the door, Dan giving me a bright smile. He held a bouquet of flowers, and a wrapped box.

"Happy one month," I laughed, kissing him softly. He kissed back before pulling away.

"Hi," he replied as he entered. I closed the door looking back at him. He had placed his stuff on the table, fiddling with his thumbs. I walked towards him, unable to control the smile on my face.

"So, we'll have dinner and open the gifts?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

"What happened to movies?" he chuckled, moving closer before grabbing my hand softly.

"I'm too excited to give you your gift," I admitted, spinning around quickly. He pulled me into a hug, making me blush as he leaned down to my ear.

"I'm already one step ahead of you - dinner should be here any second," he revealed just as the doorbell rang. _What did I do to deserve this man?_

 **\---**

"I love it! Thank you so much," I squealed, kissing him. Dan had gotten me a new Polaroid camera with film. _I've wanted one for months, and now I do!_ I traced my thumb over the box once more before placing it down and sliding over his gift. I giddily played with my fingers, anxiously awaiting his reaction. As soon as he pulled away the paper, he froze. Flipping open the front cover, he read through it quickly. He looked up, placing the book down as he attempted to speak.

"I love you, Rose," he breathed, looking into my eyes. In that moment, I realised how much Daniel Flint meant to me. How he's impacted my life. How much I mean to him. I realised that I had fallen in love with my best friend in the span of just under two months.

"I love you too," I laughed. We kept eye contact for a minute, before Dan leaned in and kissed me passionately. I kissed back, holding his face in my hand tenderly. Gradually, I laid down as our simple kiss turned into a make-out.

My cheeks began to grow hot as Dan deepened the kiss, his hand travelling down to my bum. He squeezed it softly, not to harsh. His lips moved off mine, and he began to suck on my neck. My legs trembled, the feeling of his lips on my skin like a taste of ecstasy. I gasped as memories began to flood back into my mind.

_He kissed me aggressively, grabbing my breast as he pressed his body against mine. I squirmed underneath his body, feeling extremely violated and uncomfortable. His hand moved down to my bum, squeezing tightly and moaning into my mouth._

"Dan, please stop," I whispered into his ear. He instantly stopped, concern in his eyes as he lifted his head up.

"Is everything okay? Did I do something that made you uncomfortable?" he asked cautiously, holding my hand comfortingly. I shook my head. We sat up, fixing our appearances a little bit.

"I want to wait a little bit longer before we move onto... the intimate aspect of our relationship. Make sure I'm ready for that kind of thing before I make choices like that," I explained, blushing a bit out of embarrassment. He chuckled softly, rubbing my hand.

"Don't be embarrassed - I'm not expecting anything like that until you're ready. I would hate myself if I ever pressured you like that," he replied, kissing me once more.

"Uh- um, thank you for the gift," he stuttered afterwards, his cheeks still lingering with pink. I smiled softly, giggling.

"No worries."


	14. Chapter 13

**R O S E ' S P O V**

My eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the darkness as my body began to wake up. I gently removed Dan's arm from my waist, his snoring telling me he wouldn't be waking up for a while. I pulled on a pair of slippers before shuffling out into the kitchen. Yawning softly, I looked at my microwave to check the time. _Two am_. I grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and poured myself some water from the tap. I looked up from the sink and towards the window. I gasped, dropping my glass into the sink as my eyes met the silhouette reflected in the window behind me. I swivelled around to the figure.

' _You need to know what the truth,_ ' a female voice whispered from it, raising her hand. I felt myself become drowsy, attempting to keep myself up.

"T... the tru-" I collapsed to the floor, falling back into a deep sleep.

**T H I R D P E R S O N ' S P O V**

_Josh leant against the wall of the school, a cigarette hanging between his teeth as he waited for his girlfriend to come. It was the last day of school for the term, and they planned to have a night in. He inhaled the nicotine, looking up towards the sky.  
_

_Meanwhile, on the other side of the school, Angela was able to sneak out of her PE class. She moved quickly, wanting to see Josh as soon as she could, but a large hand grasped onto her wrist, pulling her away from her path. Her eyes met the pair of brown that belonged to Timothy Gale, a boy notorious for his Friday night parties and place on the popularity scale._

_“Hey, short stack, where are you running off to?” he teased, pushing her against the tree they stood under. Tim always had an attraction towards Angela, so seeing her in tight, short sport clothes only centimetres away from him was exactly what he wanted.  
_

_“Nowhere - just seeing some of the girls,” she lied, shifting uncomfortably underneath him. His hand grasped her thigh tightly._

_“You reckon the girls can wait?” he smirked, leaning in as he groped her breast. He shoved his tongue down her throat, groping her body all over. She managed to pull her lips of his, struggling underneath his grip._

_“Tim, stop! Let go!” she yelled, pushing him away. Tim rolled his eyes, scoffing softly._

_“Fine. Be a fucking prude,” he sneered, pushing his hair back before leaving her alone under the tree. She sniffled softly, wiping away the tears on her cheeks. The feeling of his hands on her skin made her feel shiver. She'd only been touched by Josh like that before, and it felt weird to have another man's hands on her._

_After composing herself, she made her way to their meeting place._

_“Hey, babe,” Josh smiled, stepping on his cigarette before kissing her softly, completely unaware of what only happened a minute ago._

**\---**

_Music played softly in the background of Josh's bedroom as they cuddled on his bed. That night was quite warm, so they only wore very little in bed, with all of the sheets tossed to the floor._

_Josh kissed the back of Angela's neck, a smile on his lips. He pushed her down onto her back. Kissing her plump lips, his hand travelled to her bra clasp, undoing it before pulling it off. He eyed her breasts, smiling smugly to himself when he noticed something odd - bruises lining her left breast._

_“What's wrong?” Angela asked in concern, tucking lose hairs behind her ear. Millions upon millions of thoughts swarmed through Josh's head, attempting to figure out what had happened._

_“Why is your breast bruised?” he replied, confusion and anger mixed into his voice. She looked down at her skin, gasping softly at the sight._ Tim _. As Angela reacted to the sight, it clicked in Josh._

_“Did someone hurt you?” he exclaimed, looking into her eyes. She looked away in shame, biting back tears as she shook her head._

_“Fucking hell. What did he do? Who was he?” he pressed, pulling on his t-shirt as he jumped out of bed. He was pissed. Pissed that someone would hurt Angela like that, make her feel ashamed and guilty for something that wasn't her fault._

_“J-Josh it isn't t-that big of a d-deal,” she stuttered, pulling on her clothes as she attempted to stop him from doing something dumb. He shook his head, his face red and a vein bulging on his neck._

_“Dean? Jack? Alex? Give me his name, because he isn't getting away with this,” he barked, pulling on his flannel before shoving on his boots. He turned to his afraid girlfriend._ “ _Give me his name, or else I'm grabbing the yearbook and going to everyone's house,” he repeated, determination in his eyes. Knowing that he wouldn't stop until she gave a name, she looked at the ground, watching her tears hit the floorboards.  
_

_“T-_ _Tim Gale. He groped and kissed me, trying to get me to have sex with him,”_ _she revealed, looking up. Josh was already bolting down the stairs, making her gasp in shock. She quickly pulled on a pair of sneakers, chasing after him._

_“Josh, stop!” she called out, reaching up to him. She tugged on his flannel, being dragged down the road. “I don't want you to get hurt or hurt someone else! Let's go back!”_

_“I don't fucking care - he touched you. He hurt you!” Josh growled as Angela begged him to stop, digging her nail polish clad for fingers into his skin._

_“It's not that big of a deal, Josh. Josh, please!” she pleaded, her knuckles turning white. Josh swiveled around, grabbing her arm and ripping her hand off him. He pushed her away gently, nodding towards his house._

_“Go back, Angela,” he demanded. He wasn't going to let her be involved in what he planned. He couldn't hurt her like that. She shook her head, tears covering her cheeks._

_“Josh, I'm scared. I'm scared you're gonna do something. I'm scared of_ you _,” Angela whispered, her voice shaky, reaching out towards him with a solemn look in her eyes. She prayed that he would take his hand and they would go home. She prayed that he wouldn't ruin his life forever._ _“Please,” she begged once more, coming in closer. She placed a hand on his cheek, searching for a change of mind in his eyes. Her lip wobbled, only seeing black, empty eyes._

_“Franceschi? Angela?” a drunken Tim questioned, his eyebrows furrowed as he eyed the two standing a few feet away from him. Josh turned around within the second, fury and fire within his eyes at the sight of the man who laid his hands on Angela._

_“Tim,” he snarled, stomping over to the piece of shit jock. Tim raised an eyebrow at the aggressiveness of his classmate._

_“Woah - relax, Franceschi! Have a beer, mate,” he offered, holding the can towards the boy, not aware of the danger slipping underneath his radar.  
_

_“I'm not fucking relaxing. You hurt Angela,” he responded, pointing towards the shaken girl. The football player looked between the two, trying to analyse and figure out the situation. It hit him like a truck after a minute, causing him to howl in laughter._

_“Wait a minute - you two? Joshua and Angela! Fuck, I'd never imagine. To be honest, this is kinda low for your standard, Ange,” he chuckled, taking the final swig of his beer before tossing the can onto a lawn. Josh's anger only grew._ Not only did this scum touch Angela, he mocked and ridiculed her. She doesn’t deserve this shit, not any of it.

_“Fuck off -_ _that isn't the reason why we're here. The reason why we are is because you laid your disgusting hand on her against her fucking will!” he yelled, grabbing him by the throat as his face grew red._

_“Oh, Ange, your boy has got a bad case of blue balls. Please give him something, anything! You got pretty great tits, why don't you let him touch?” he cackled, firing up Josh. He knew what he was doing, and he was excited. Josh was always quiet and collected, so seeing him become this aggressive and violent was fascinating. Josh began to beat his face in, his hands quickly becoming covered in blood. He threw him to the floor, kicking his ribs and stomping onto his chest._

_“DON'T YOU FUCKING TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT, YOU SHIT!” he boomed, pulling him up before punching his stomach and throat._

_“JOSH, NO!” Angela cried, rubbing over to Josh as she viciously attempted to rip him away from Tim. He ignored her, pushing her away with a simple shrug of his shoulder. He pulled out his switchblade, flicking it open as a malicious grin spread across his face._

_“Burn in hell, pig,” he spat, stabbing him in his stomach. He twisted the blade, bathing in the emotions of Tim. He dragged the blade, creating a large slit before swiping the it out of his flesh. Josh stumbled back, eyeing his work. The boy trembled, holding his organs in his fingers before falling back. Angela screamed, covering her mouth in horror._

_“What have you done? Oh god, Josh what have you done?!” she shrieked, moving away slowly. He furrowed his eyebrows, tears of anger building up in his eyes._ She promised she would always love me no matter what I did. Why is she doing this? _He began to stalk towards her._

 _“Don't back away from me, Angela. Don't you fucking move a muscle!” he barked, pointing the blood covered blade at her. She began to bolt._ Fucking bitch. She knows I'm faster than her. _He quickly caught up to her, tackling her to the ground._

_“NO, JOSH! I LOVE YOU! DON'T HURT ME,” she sobbed, her voice croaky and terror in her eyes. He slammed her to the ground, pressing the blade against her throat. Her pretty throat that once held hickeys from Josh. Their first, likely to be their last._

_“You promised! Promised to always love me, so why did you run?!” he pressed, tears on a never ending flow. He moved the blade to her heart, pointing at it. “_ _I love you so much. I would do anything for this heart! Why did you hurt me like this? Why?” Josh wailed, shutting his eyes tightly. She held his face tenderly, inhaling softly,_ _trying to calm him before he did something he'd regret._

 _“I'm sorry. I love you too,” she lied, praying it would work. Josh shook his head, fighting voices._ I can't kill her. No, I can't! _Something within him grew, and quickly took control of him. The blade cut open her skin, sliding through the muscle and into her heart. The heart that expressed so much love, care and admiration for the man that had just killed her. Her arm fell limp, hitting the road. Josh's hands shook, tears flowing as he realised what he had committed._ My Angela, dead. My blade. My anger. _He pulled out the blade as he fell back in shock, red and blue lights flashing._

_“Get on your knees! Drop your weapon, and put your hands behind your head!” an officer barked, his gun pointed at the kid. The kid who just gutted his classmate and stabbed his girlfriend. Josh stood up, gripping the knife tightly as he turned to the police before him. Multiple guns were aimed at him, ready to fire._

_Josh wasn't afraid. It would be all over in a few seconds. He pressed the blade to his neck and swiped._ _He fell to the ground, blood spurting from his throat. He turned his head to Angela, taking his final breath._


	15. Chapter 14

**R O S E ' S P O V**

"Rose? Rose? Wake up, babe," I heard Dan's voice slowly whisper as I woke up. Instead of lying on the kitchen floor, I was lying in bed. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"How'd I get in here? I passed out in the kitchen..." I mumbled, sitting up. My eyes met Dan's, a mixture of concern and relief lying in his gaze.

"You did, I didn't realise until a few minutes ago. Are you okay?" he soothed, caressing my face as I regained my focus. I looked over at the time. _Three thirty-two am_. I lied down again, rubbing my face.

"I've been out for an hour and a half," I mumbled, ignoring his question. All of my memory quickly rushed back and my eyes widened in shock. _Josh, Angela, Timothy. The day he died_. I quickly sat up and grabbed my phone, opening _Safari_ as I desperately searched for answers.

**_20 Year Anniversary of Weybridge Murder-Suicide, Reflecting on the Events._ **

_This Thursday marks the twentieth anniversary of the Weybride murder-suicide that resulted in two deaths and one, sole survivor, Timothy Gale. Joshua Franceschi, who has since become the one of the many poster boy's for warning signs of mental health, ruthlessly gutted Gale and stabbed his girlfriend, Angela Burke, in the heart. When asked for an interview, Gale politely declined, not wanting to be reminded of the tragedy._

I tossed my phone down, holding my face in my hands. _It was real. I need to find Timothy._

"Rose, what's happening?" Dan asked, rubbing my arm. I shook my head, looking up before forcing a smile on my face.

"Nothing. Just had an... odd dream and I was a bit confused," I lied, leaning into his embrace. I felt him trace his thumb along my throat, making me giggle a little - I knew what he was touching.

"I like that little mark you have there," he chuckled, kissing the tender spot from last night. "I bet it'd look better with even more," he continued, pushing me down onto my back before connecting his lips to my throat once more. I moaned a little at the feeling, enjoying the pleasure and calmness that came from it. After a few minutes he lifted his head with a proud smirk.

"I'm sorry for the future questions, or should I say harassment, from Kelly," he joked, kissing the fresh marks softly. I rolled my eyes, sitting up before jumping out of bed.

"It's kind of fun seeing her becoming excited like that anyways - I'll wear them proud. Maybe I'll give you some next time," I called out jokingly. He groaned loudly in response.

"Why must you make me so impatient?" he gasped, following me out into the hall. I turned around, blushing slightly.

"You go back to bed. I need the bathroom," I replied, kissing his cheek. I entered the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I slapped my hand over my mouth in order to not alert Dan. On my bathroom mirror, a message was written in lipstick. The lipstick from Dan and I's first date.

‘You never promised me any hickies in return for mine, sweetheart. A bit unfair that seems.’

I felt a few tears roll down my face as I quickly wet a washcloth and began to wipe down my mirror. The mixture of soap and red lipstick running down the mirror reminded me of blood, like the blood I spilt the last time I saw Josh. _Oh god, why? I thought he was gone._ I heard Dan knocking on the door as I wiped away the last remains of the lipstick, my face still puffy from tears.

"Um, I-I'll be out in a second," I shakily yelled, dumping the wet washcloth into the hamper before drying the mirror. I inhaled softly, wiping away my tears before turning to the door and opening it.

Josh stood there with a wide smirk. I screamed as his hands wrapped around my shoulders.

' _What's wrong, babe?_ ' he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. _Wait. This isn't real._ I closed my eyes and opened them again only to see Dan standing in front of me. I stared into his concerned eyes, crying once more as I leaned into his embrace. He rubbed my back as he guided me back to bed.

"I'm so s-sorry," I whispered, drying my eyes.

"What are you apologising about? You have no control over this," he cooed, tucking my hair behind my ear. I shook my head.

"I haven't been honest with you... for a while now," I whispered, holding his hand in mine. Dan was silent, allowing me to take as much time as needed to explain myself."I-I've been seeing Josh outside my sleep paralysis for a while now. I used to see him during the day, and usually if I saw him during the day, I wouldn't experience sleep paralysis that night. When we started dating I stopped seeing him, until just then," I muttered, tears streaming down my cheeks and onto my chest as I recalled everything.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was scared, I didn't know what to-" Dan silenced me, hugging me tightly.

"I'm going to be by your side through all of this no matter what. I'm going to get you an appointment, and we're going to get through it. Together," he whispered, pecking my lips softly. We laid down together, holding each other tightly like an unbreakable bond.


	16. Chapter 15

**R O S E ' S P O V**

Later that morning I woke up to Dan typing away at his phone. He looked up at me and smiled, his eyes flickering as he analysed me.

"Morning," he greeted, kissing me on the cheek. He pressed something on his phone screen before turningit off. I sat up, looking at the phone in suspicion.

"What you up to there?" I asked, my gaze returning to him. He sat across from me, holding my hand gently.

"I've set up a session with a psychologist to see today," he explained, looking at me with a look of hope. Inside, my body crumbled. _Poor Dan._ _He thinks this is just mental._ Outside, I put on a smile and hugged him.

"Thank you so much," I whispered, hiding the guilt from him.

**\---**

I nervously awaited for the session to arrive, watching the clock hand tick closer to the designated time. Dan stroked my hand in comfort, not taking his eyes off me. The clock hand hit the time, and a few seconds later footsteps emerged from a hallway. A middle-aged man with greying brown hair and youthful face, despite the presence of wrinkles, appeared.

"Rose Evans?" he called out, looking around the room. I stood up, my legs shaking slightly. He motioned for me to follow him, and I looked at Dan.

"I'd prefer to go alone," I informed him, giving him a soft smiled. He nodded in response.

"Text me when to pick up up, I'll see you soon." He left the room, and I caught up with the doctor. He guided me into his office, closing the door. He then walked around to his desk and gave me a soft smile.

"My name is Doctor Timothy Gale," he introduced himself, presenting his hand to me. _Timothy Gale? There’s no way it could be him_. I quickly shook his hand, masking my shock. I sat down in the chair next to his desk, inspecting the room. My eyes landed on a photograph sitting on the wall. It was a football team, all lined up. I spotted Timothy immediately, allowing my eyes to drift away.

"So, Rose, what can I do for you today?" he smiled, his pen and paper ready.

"For the last couple of months I've experienced these cases of sleep paralysis. The first month, I saw a hallucination every night of the same man. The last few months though, I've been seeing him outside of sleep paralysis. Usually if I see him during the day, I don't experience sleep paralysis at night," I explained, fiddling my thumbs. _When should I bring it up?_ Should _I?_ He nodded as he jotted down my experiences.

"Can you please describe this man you see?"

"He's around... late teens to early twenties. He has brown curly hair, pale skin, has a bit of a... punk, I guess you could say, aesthetic," I vaguely described, looking for signs of recognition. I only saw a blank expression. He looked at me, focus flooded through his eyes.

"What does he do? Both sleep and daytime."

"He... he's extremely possessive, in a romantic and sexual way. He'll threaten to kill people who get too close to me, and he'll give me hickeys and grope me. He also threatens and harms me with a switchblade." Tim furrowed his eyebrows before returning to his focus, jotting down more lines and muttering to himself quietly.

"Dr Gale, do you know about the Weybridge Murder-Suicide?" I quickly questioned, anxiously awaiting his response. He paused, looking up with a face full of frustration.

"Miss Evans, are you actually experiencing sleep paralysis, or are you just another reporter attempting to manipulate me?" he spat. My eyes widened as I shook my head.

"No, Doctor. I didn't even know who you were until you introduced yourself - my boyfriend set up this appointment for me. The only reason why I'm asking you this is because I see Josh during my episodes," I blurted out, resulting in a shocked expression from him.

"That... that doesn't make any sense, why would you be seeing Josh in your episodes? I think you're just lying," he accused, standing up. "Please leave, or e-"

"You groped Angela underneath the tree near the school's field because you had always been attracted to her, so when you saw her you took the opportunity," I quickly said, cutting him off. This information was not known to the public, it was only known to Angela, Tim and police detectives.

"I may sound crazy, but Tim I know that there's no way I could have this information. I don't know any police officer that would have access to this information, and I don't know any family member related to this. A woman showed me that whole day during my dreams last night." He sat down, inspecting me with curiosity in his eyes.

"Let me show you something." I pulled off my shorts before placing my foot on the chair. His name, although very faint, lingered on my leg. "He used the same switchblade on me that he used on you twenty years ago," I whispered. Putting on his glasses, he hesitantly walked over, analysing the mark. He timidly removed his glass, his hand shaking softly.

"My god... you're telling the truth," he muttered. He stood up, walking over to his desk and pressing a buzzer on his telephone. "Please clear all of my appointments from twelve to four pm today please, thank you." I quickly sent a text to Dan explaining that he'd have to pick me up later.

"Start from the beginning." I began to recount everything, from how he revealed he was a demon, how he murdered the man at the club, describing the night he marked my thigh, all the way to today. He scanned all of the notes he'd written down, covering his mouth in shock.

"So somehow Josh has manifested into a demon, and has you tied up in his wraps... but why would Josh latch onto you specifically?" he murmured to himself as he wrote more things down. I asked myself the same question, thinking about last night and what I'd seen.

"Perhaps because of the situation he was involved with during his death? Angela ran away after he... Josh was heartbroken. Maybe now he's looking for something to replace-" I paused in my sentence, looking at Tim. He was frozen, his pen sitting in his fingers. He was looking at me liked he'd seen a ghost. 

"What's wrong?"

"Rose, please tell me about yourself quickly."

"I'm twenty three, I've never really dated anyone, I had a very close friend group in high school, no one else, I don't smoke, hardly drink.."

"I think it may be possible that Josh was either trying to find Angela reincarnated or a girl similar to her. You fit the second demographic closely. You’re quite innocent, clean slate, small group of friends, limited amount of romantic relationships, you're an almost perfect match. Perhaps... perhaps as he learnt more about you he fell in love with you, not a new Angela," he theorised, bitting his lip. I furrowed my brows, looking at him in confusion.

"So how will we stop him? I mean, you knew him and surely you found out more stuff about him and Angela after it happened?" I pressed, standing up and beginning to pace. He chuckled softly, shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't know, I'm not a demonologist. But I did know him... he became troubled as a teenager, always tried to get his way." The room filled with a silence, things finally still after the two and a half hour madness.

"So, does anyone else know?" Tim asked, stretching his arms. I shook my head.

"My boyfriend thinks it's just a mental thing," I replied, fiddling with my thumbs. He stood up, adjusting his shirt.

"Well, Rose, thank you for your time with me today. I'll be in contact with you as soon as possible, hopefully with answers," he smiled, I rose as well, making my way to the door. I paused as I grasped the handle before looking back at him.

"Thank you, Tim, I finally feel like I might have a chance at being normal again."


	17. Chapter 16

**T I M O T H Y ' S P O V**

I bit my lip in anticipation as I continued to browse webpages and flick through books. _I want to help Rose so much, but I don't know how to_. I threw my pen at my desk, cursing softly as I held my face in my hands. The frustration and guilt weighed down on me like an anchor. _This girl has a life sentence above her head if I don't do anything about this, and the reason why Josh is dead in the first place is because of me_. I continued to write more notes down from my sources. _I_ need _to find an answer_.

' _Still as impatient as ever, Timothy,_ ' his voice faintly whispered in my ear, causing me to flinch and look around for him. My home office was empty, no Josh to be seen. I stood up, breathing in deeply.

"You didn't kill me twenty years ago, Josh. I'm the reason why she's in this mess, and I'll stop you. It’s my bloody responsibility!" I yelled, keeping my eye out for movement in the room. After a moment's silence, his chuckle engulfed the room, blocking out other noises.

' _Still as hopeful as well - I guess people really don't change with age. I'm excited to see you pathetically fall,'_ he replied, a gust of wind blowing the papers on my desk. I smashed my fist onto the desk, angry at him and myself.

As a result of the impact, one of the many books I borrowed from the local library bounced off the desk and onto the carpeted floor, opening to a random page. I sighed and bent down to pick up the book, skimming over the words. I paused, noticing important information.

"Finally - a fucking answer," I muttered to myself.

**R O S E ' S P O V**

I gazed at the tall building that stood in front of me. I adjusted my bag and made my way up the sandstone steps. The hardwood floor shined as I walked along and I became in awe of the labyrinth of bookshelves before me. _Don't get distracted - you know what you're here for._ I searched the signs and found what I was looking for: newspapers. I climbed the carpeted staircases, watching the occupants of the library. _A couple of students, some just looking for something to do. I'd be surprised if there was someone like me in here._ I reached my desired department and began my search.

Completely rippling my expectations, I found five newspaper articles on the Weybridge murder-suicide. Two newspapers, unfortunately, blamed Angela for Josh's actions, which disgusted me.

 _She didn't do anything. Why would someone place this horrible crime in her hands?_ Despite my detailed and extensive analysis of all the newspapers, I couldn't get any info that could help me figure out how to stop Josh. I closed the tabs and sighed.

' _Rose,_ ' a female voice whispered in my ear. I turned around with a quick movement, no one to be seen. I rubbed my eyes in confusion and scanned the library. Then I saw _her_.

Angela stood next to a bookshelf and beckoned me to follow her. Hesitantly, I started walking towards her, and as I got closer she disappeared behind the shelf. I continued my chase, and she only gave me a glimpse of herself in order to guide myself. We reached a dead end, and she turned.

"Angela, please help me," I whispered, moving in closer. She grasped my hands tightly and leant in close.

' _There is nothing you can do - you have to run,_ ' she hissed. Tears filled my eyes as I shook my head.

"Surely there's a way," I begged. Without warning, Angela disappeared and I found myself quietly sobbing. _No hope. I'm shackled to him._ I started to walk backwards, and my back hit something hard. With a trembling frame, I turned and Josh stood there with a devilish grin.

' _My beautiful Rose trying to find answers with no luck like Tim,_ ' he mocked, walking forward and pinning me against the bookshelf. I look behind him, and just like the night he murdered the man, he blocked off the entrance with another bookshelf. My tears were falling rapidly, and Josh stroked my tear-stained skin softly. ' _I promise there will be no tears once it's just us, love. A peaceful nirvana,_ ' he mumbled, trailing his lips against my neck whilst stroking my skin softly.

"Please stop," I begged. He ignored my pleas, sliding his hand down and grasping my thigh. "I'm not Angela, Josh. Please leave me alone," I tried once more. He stopped, lifting his face with an amused look.

' _Don't worry, sweetheart, I know that quite well. I don't give a fuck about Angela anymore, you are all that I care for now,_ ' he explained, pressing his lips against mine. I pushed him off me and watched as he collided with a bookshelf behind him. He made his way back to me and grabbed my neck tightly, fury in his eyes. ' _There is nothing that you, or he, can do to stop me, and you best remember that,_ ' he snarled, digging his fingernails into my skin. I clawed at his arm, silently begging for him to let me go. He released me and I dropped to my knees, clutching my throat.

' _Good luck,_ ' he teased before disappearing as Angela did. I squeezed my eyes closed tightly and gave myself a moment to recollect myself. I opened my eyes and stood up, dusting myself and wiping away any stray tears. Just as I began to walk, my phone vibrated against my thigh and I pulled out the device, seeing an incoming call from Timothy. I answered the call and pressed my phone against my ear.

"Yeah?"

' _I've found a solution. Are you free tonight?'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N: My deepest apologies for not posting in such a long time! I've had the worst writer's block when it comes to this book. But now that this chapter is out of the way you guys can hopefully expect more frequent updates!
> 
> Thanks, y'all.


	18. Chapter 17

**R O S E ' S P O V**

By the time I got to my apartment it was dark outside. Although the night breeze was light, it sent a shiver down my spine like a gust of wind would, and gave me a sense of paranoia. I cautiously investigated my surroundings as I crept towards the doors of the lobby before a snap of a twig sent me leaping into the comforting safety of my building. _God knows this building isn't anywhere near safe with Josh always lurking in the shadows._ Shrugging off my nerves, I boarded the elevator and selected my level, watching the dodgy doors shut with a delay before the final shake. _The usual._ Within a minute or two, I arrived at my level and scurried into the hallway, my body pumping with adrenaline as I thought of Timothy's promises. The man himself was pacing in front of my door, looking up as I came closer to him.

"Good, you're here. Let's move quickly - we don't know what Josh might be doing at the moment," he warned. I nodded in agreement and opened my door, watching the supply decked man practically fly into my apartment. I closed my door and locked it as Timothy selected my dining room table as his desk. I made my way to the table and joined him.

"Okay, based off all of my research, I think I've got the solution," Timothy announced, placing a stack of books and files on my dining room table. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at him with a bit of concern.

"Is it that detailed?" I questioned. He shook his head.

"I'm just holding on to my sources. You never know when you're going to need them," he explained. He pulled out a small file from the stack and opened it up. "This is it. If we can't get rid of Josh with this... I don't know what to do," he whispered. I grabbed his hand and gazed into his eyes intently.

"No matter the outcome, I'll always appreciate all you've done for me." Timothy gave me a soft smile and chuckled softly to himself.

"You really are like Angela..." he mused. A tense silence filled the room before Tim gave out a small cough and pushed his hair back with his hand. "Anyways, let's get back on track. We need to find a couple of things," he awkwardly instructed.

**\---**

"Okay, we've got the sage, herbs, pure salt and matches. We need an item that has some relation to Josh. I've brought this as an example," he informed me, picking up his bag and pulling out a weathered, deflated football.

"How does Josh relate to your football? I saw the team picture in your office, but Josh wasn't in it..." I mentioned. Timothy placed the ball on the table and turned to me.

"Josh and I were actually best friends prior to... his crimes. We were on the football team, but he was sick of it and left. That picture was after the finals, which Josh didn't partake in." I nodded in understanding. _They were best friends? No wonder Josh was so pissed off at him. God, I can't imagine what Timothy is feeling right now._ I made my way to the bathroom, fishing around my drawers before pulling out the lipstick from Dan and I's first date. I felt sick as I uncapped it and gazed at the smushed, blunt end, being reminded of when Josh had returned and left his message on the mirror.

"Rose?" Timothy called out. I placed the cap back on and looked at myself in the mirror. A tired and cold face stared back. _You can do this, Rose. End it._ I exited the bathroom and returned to Timothy, placing the lipstick on the table.

"I wore this lipstick on Dan and I's first date, and when I saw Josh for the first time after he disappeared, he left a message on my bathroom mirror with the lipstick," I explained, shuddering at the memories. Timothy gave me a look of empathy before taking a moment to read his notes.

"Alright, we need to place some salt around your home before we move onto you. If he's attached to you, there's a good chance that he might be attached to your home as well," Timothy directed. So, with a bag of salt each, Timothy and I made our way around my apartment, lining where the wall met the ground with a generous amount of salt. This part of the process didn't take long and we soon found ourselves back in my living room drawing symbols on the floor with white sage. Tim compared his information to our work, explaining what each symbol meant and how it would combat against Josh.

"So what will... all of this do ultimately?" I mumbled in confusion. Tim gazed into my eyes with an ambitious smile and placed his hands onto my shoulders.

"We can bring Josh into a mortal form and kill him physically," he whispered excitedly. A pang of hope but fear rippled through my heart. "Okay?" he asked. I nodded confidently.

"Okay." Timothy checked around the room once more before revealing me a knife.

"I'll stab him when the time's right, okay? Make sure you're not touching him when I stab him," he instructed. Timothy made his way to the lights. With a simple nod of agreement, he shut off the lights. I breathed in deeply and cautiously walked around the darkened room.

"Josh?" I called out, turning around. His laugh brushed past me, and I fell over in shock. I quickly jumped back up, composing myself.

' _My little Rose..._ ' he chuckled. I yelped as his arms wrapped around my body from the back, his lips pressing against my neck. ' _A little bit odd for you, but this is still fun,_ ' he joked, his hands venturing along my body. I pulled myself away from him and turned to see him. I could just see him within the darkness, a smirk pulled across his face.

"Why, Josh? All of this madness and- and chaos. What makes you like this?" I questioned, attempting to stall him and keep my distance. I could see Timothy slinking around behind us which gave me a sense of comfort. He shrugged his shoulders.

' _One of the perks of being a demon: free will, babe._ ' Timothy lived closer towards us and I knew that things were about to end.

"I have to tell you something..." I mumbled. He tilted his head and tried to come in closer whilst I kept my distance.

' _Yes, love?_ '

"It's over, Josh," I snarled, with Timothy reaching over and stabbing him in the heart deeply. Josh froze before hunching over in agony. He let out pain-filled moans and hisses before sitting up straight with a wide grin.

' _Ooh, that stings, guys. You really want to get rid of me_ that _bad?_ ' he mockingly pouted, pulling out the knife from his body. He clicked his fingers and the lights flicked on. We watched as his stab wound healed up, only the dark blood soaking his shirt left behind.

"How? We did it all perfectly!" Tim protested. Josh let out a muffled laugh, looking my way.

' _Why don't you ask our very own twenty-first-century Angela?_ ' he mockingly instructed as he gestured to me. I furrowed my eyebrows before turning to look where I had fallen over. The sand in one of the symbols had been broken, rendering it ineffective. I returned my attention to the boys and gave a facial expression of guilt.

"I'm so sorry, Tim - I broke one of the symbols," I admitted. He shook his head.

"Don't apologise. I should've arranged the symbols with better material," he argued.

' _Oh Timothy, Timothy, Timothy. Tsk, tsk. Just can't help being the martyr, can you?_ ' Josh mockingly scolded, slamming him against the wall and pressing his switchblade against his stomach. ' _How about we reopen some old wounds and fulfil your chosen destiny?_ ' he cackled as Tim squirmed under his grip.

"Josh, please let Tim go, and we'll sort this out. Your situation was shut and close twenty years ago. We don't need to drag him in anymore. Fuck, we don't need to bring anyone into this mess anymore," I begged, holding my hands against my chest. An evil smirk grew across his face at my words and he stared into my eyes intently.

' _What are you willing to do for me to spare this man's life?_ ' he questioned, crooking his head. I felt the tears form but I held them back as the word escaped my lips.

"Anything," I whispered. Knowing Josh, he was going to use my response to his advantage. But I didn't care. _I've brought too much heartache, hurt too many people._

"R-Rose, no!" Timothy choked, trying to get out of Josh's grip. Josh stifled a laugh and started to uncontrollably smile.

' _Fucking finally._ ' With a snap of his fingers, Timothy became unconscious and fell to the floor like a rag doll, his chest moving up and down to my relief. ' _You know, you need to be a bit smarter with your words,_ ' he teased, crossing his arms and moving a bit closer.

"I knew exactly what I was getting into when I said 'anything'," I croaked softly, now unable to stop the tears. I wiped the tears away with my hands and made eye contact with Josh. He had a mischievous look in his eyes. _He's pleased with what he has in mind._

' _Looking for a bit of challenge are we?_ '

"I don't care, Josh, you obviously have something in mind - just tell me," I barked with a wavered voice, sick of his banter and suspension.

 _Give me my life sentence already. You're_ _obviously_ _not going_ _to go_ _easy on me._

' _Okay, Rose, you have one week. One week to cut ties and say goodbye to everyone. I will then come for you, and you will be mine,_ ' he grinned, taking in my body with a lustful gaze.

"Fine," I spat out. He stepped in closer and held my chin up, crooking an eyebrow.

' _A kiss to seal the deal?_ ' he hummed.

"Does it really matter what I say?" I growled as Josh wrapped his free arm around my waist, pulling me in closer.

' _Not really, love,_ ' he chuckled, pressing his lips against mine. I clenched my jaw and forced myself to kiss him back. The kiss finished and I gazed at the satisfied look on Josh's face once more.

' _I'll see you soon._ ' And within a second, he, Timothy and everything that he brought was gone. The only thing that remained was the lipstick on the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N: Hey y'all, it's been a month, but better than almost a whole year again haha. My apologies as the ritual wasn't written the best (I couldn't really find any sources/inspiration) but I hope you all enjoyed regardless. Now that this chapter is out of the way I have a more clearer vision for the story. This might mean the story will be ending relatively quickly, but don't fret, for I have a special announcement in regards to Sleep Paralysis.


	19. Chapter 18

**A U R O R A ' S P O V**

That night I didn't sleep for a single second. Although one week could seem like plenty of time for others, once I considered all of the relationships I had built and other life commitments, I came to the already exhausting realisation that my ultimate fate would require an overwhelming amount of mental and logical preparation.

Coming up with a reason was simple. With my father's history of high blood pressure and parents divorce, no one would bat an eyelash if I said he had a critical heart attack and would need my care for a few months in Sheffield. I'd ask my old family friend, Sean, to pick me up from the train station, telling him that I was just visiting. The night my train was to leave, that's when Josh would come to take me.

Perhaps they'll figure out I had been lying all along, although they would never know why. Perhaps I had been abducted whilst changing stops. Perhaps I just vanished. Let's be honest - who would be able to deduce that a demon obsessed with me had whisked me away to God knows where to keep me as his?

With my train ticket purchased to leave a trace, and things that I needed to organise written out on a notepad, I pulled up the contacts in my phone and began to make phone calls. I called Kelly first. _She would be suspicious if I left my job before breaking the news to her first_. The ringing tone hardly made it to a third buzz before Kelly picked up.

' _Hey, Rose! How are you?_ ' she chirped in her usual princess-like tone. I took in a quiet breath as I prepared to start to saw away at my best friend and I's friendship. _God, Josh. You couldn't have just snatched me away. You had to torture me like this first._

"Not well - I have some really bad news," I muttered sadly as I paced around my apartment in anxiety. My free hand fidgeted with my shirt and I found myself constantly chewing my lip.

' _What's up?_ '

"My dad had a heart attack," I lied, my words feeling like vomit. _Pure garbage - pure fucking garbage. I hate myself._

' _Oh my god! I'm so sorry. Do you need me to come over? Is there anything I can do for you?_ ' I barely heard a single thing that Kelly said as she rushingly spoke, distraught about my false tragedy despite never meeting my father.

"He's fine-ish. They were able to save him, but the results were... drastic." I bit back my tears and felt lumps clogging up my throat. _Maybe this will make things a bit more realistic. But if I cry she'll come over regardless, and I just want to get this over and done with as soon as possible._

' _Oh god, what's going to happen?_ '

"I need to move back to Sheffield for a couple of months to take care of him." I felt as though my heart grew blacker as I strung up my charade like I was evil.

' _I'll drive you! I'll do as much as I can to make this as smooth as possible for you. God, I can't even imagine the emotions you're experiencing right now and having to drop your life here temporarily on top of it!'_

"It's fine - I don't need you to do anything for me. I appreciate it so much though. I'm going to catch the train to Sheffield and a family friend will be picking me up. A moving van will take my stuff and I'll be able to come back to my flat once he's able to rely on himself again or we can find a suitable caretaker," I soothed. _Kelly can't derail this._

' _Are you sure?_ ' I could almost hear the frown in her voice.

"I'm certain, but thank you so much anyways - I appreciate it," I said once more, now gripping my phone tightly as I waited for her to finally give up. A moment of silence waited. I opened my mouth to ask if she was still there, only to be interrupted.

' _I'm always a phone call away if you need any help, okay? How about we grab coffee tomorrow to clear your head?_ ' A smile grew upon my face, feeling satisfied with how I handled the situation, despite the guilt coiling around my heart. 

"Sounds great." After organising our coffee, we gave our goodbyes and ended the call. I let my tears fall and shut my eyes tightly, sitting down on my couch. I sobbed as I accepted that in less than a week I would never see Kelly again and reminisced on our short, yet fruitful, friendship. I allowed myself to wallow in my pain before pulling myself together, reminding myself of the things I needed to do.

I filed my leave notice at work, including an apology about the short notice. My employers replied quickly with condolences and reassurance that my leave was fine. Two days before my departure would be my last day. Despite offers of a going-away party, I declined. I didn't want to waste their money. 

I then sorted out my apartment, bills and other related things. I was tempted to end all of the contracts and just make it all go away for the sake of my family, but I knew that would only arise more suspicion. _I don't need people going on a wild goose chase for me._

By the end of the day, everything was sorted. I had chosen to organise my will when I first moved out and felt secure knowing that my belongings wouldn't just sit here. With heavy feet and tired eyes, I changed into pyjamas for bed and brushed my teeth. I entered my bedroom, noticing that one of my notebooks was opened and a pen laid beside it on my dresser, despite not being in my bedroom since the morning. 

I made my way over. I picked up the note and scoffed softly at the message scribbled across the paper, tossing it into recycling.

_So smart, my beautiful Rose. It'll all be over soon._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N: Yikes - back at it again with the long periods of time in between chapters. And I'm sorry that it's a bit of a filler! Quick little side note, I realised I accidentally called Rose 'Aurora' last chapter haha. Apologies if any of you picked up on that - I was writing something else around the same time and got my characters jumbled.


	20. Chapter 19

**A U R O R A ' S P O V**

Kelly and I walked into work together, chatting softly in the empty store. I had yet to tell Dan, and the guilt was eating away at me, resulting in my avoidance.

"Come on, Rose, today's your last day of work and you leave in two days - you _have_ to tell him. Why haven't you, anyway?" Kelly groaned softly as she put her bag away and adjusted her name tag. I sighed and closed my locker, leaning against the rows.

"I can't bring myself to do it... I hate the idea of breaking his heart," I answered solemnly. Kelly crossed her arms and stepped close to me, staring me dead in the eyes.

"You're going to break his heart even more if you leave it to the last minute or just leave him in the dust. _Tell him_."

"I'll try," I whispered with a tightening throat, turning around and making my way out into the store. Kelly began to stock some bare shelves and racks whilst I opened up. Kelly insisted on keeping things easy for me today, keep the stress low. I began to open up some more boxes and helped out as we waited for the first customer of the day.

The day was quiet, but we both sold a fair bit together despite the small number of visitors. I had a small, yet prominent, feeling that Josh was influencing my last day. Regardless if it was Josh or just luck, I had a fantastic last day of work. Kelly and I shared a few moments of tears as I did some things for the last time, like taking money out of the register and tagging items. Although she believed I was only leaving for a few months, it was like Kelly knew today would be my last day forever.

Just like how we started our days, we collected our bags from the lockers, with me taking my decorations as well, and locked up. Kelly and I clambered into her car and set off for our local Italian restaurant.

**\---**

"So, how is your dad now?" Kelly cautiously asked, sipping from her glass of white wine. I shrugged my shoulders as I considered how to influence my narrative. _Saying he's worsened will make her worried, but it could also alter any suspicion of my extended disappearance if she doesn't hear from Sean for a while._

"He's still the same - not any worse or better," I mused, deciding to go with the safer option. She hummed in sadness and gently toyed with her pasta dish. I tenderly placed my hand on top of hers that rested on the table, stroking with my thumb.

"Please don't let me disrupt your life. I'd hate it if you fell into a completely useless and unforgiving depression because of me. I'll come back, okay? That's something to take comfort in," I lied with a soothing tone. I watched a few stray tears slid down her cheeks as she nodded in response.

"I just can't help but feel... you're never coming back, you know? Obviously, you will, but there's something about this situation that has placed me on the edge of my seat," she shakily explained. I bit my lip, nodding in understanding as my guilt accelerated and my body tensed up. Fighting back my urge to admit the truth, I pulled a warm smile upon my lips.

"I'll come back," I said once more. In all honesty, it felt like I was trying to convince myself more than I was Kelly. We continued our meals, speaking of more positive and delightful things in our lives, such as my father's home and fond memories. After dessert, we began our journeys back home.

I kicked off my boots and looked over my bare apartment. I had pretty much packed up everything, with only necessities and my full suitcase being the only things left. I ghosted my fingers along the weathered, yet beautiful, wallpaper and thought back to when I had first moved in. This apartment was old and not the best of quality, but it was home. I grabbed my boots and took them into my bedroom. Dropping them onto the floor, a loud smack engulfing my hearing, I laid back and closed my eyes for a few moments. A single moment of peace where I could fall away into my head.

I was interrupted by my doorbell, and I quickly sat up. _Who's here at this time at night? Has someone figured out that I've been lying?_ I made my way to my front door, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I opened the door and felt my stomach drop. _I had hoped I could've left this for a little while longer._

"Dan," I breathed, trying my best to hide my disappointment.

"Hey, love," he smiled as he bent down his head to kiss me. I kissed him back gently before breaking the kiss and allowing him in. He investigated my apartment with his eyes, a look of confusion appearing. He cautiously sat on the couch and I joined him.

"Where... is everything?" he asked lowly. I slowly pulled his hand into mine and squeezed softly. Our gaze met, and my heart thumped viciously against my chest as I was faced with Dan's confusion. I took a deep breath and just told him bluntly.

"I'm moving to Sheffield for a few months." His confusion left his face, but nothing replaced it. He looked... blank.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I-I don't know. Things just happened, and I've been so busy. I'm sorry," I continued, swallowing back my lumps and trying my best not to cry. Dan held my face with both of his hands and looked deeply in my eyes.

"I'll come with you," he smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N: Cliffhanger! Hey everyone, hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Apologies for the wait again, life has been quite busy. This chapter is a bit of a filler as well, but I promise you the next chapter is a lot more interesting!


	21. Chapter 20

**R O S E ' S P O V**

As soon as the words escaped his lips, the emotional barrier I had painfully built collapsed, my sobs pouring out in response. Dan frowned as the tears poured over his hands and I shook my head gently. _Fuck. This isn't how it was meant to go.Things are harder now._

"You can't, Dan. You can't throw your life away for me," I cried, his right thumb gently stroking the tears from my skin. He laughed softly, blissfully unaware of my double meaning, and grabbed my hands.

"Of course I can - wherever you go I'll follow, because I love you," he soothed. Heavier sobs racked my body as he kissed my hands. 

_Why do you have to be so sweet, Dan? I can't bear breaking your heart, but I need to do so to protect you._

"Please, Dan, stay here. You have work, a home, friends," I begged, trying my best to avoid the cruel path that I was scared of turning to. He looked back up at me with a cheeky smirk and wiped away more tears.

"My job is shitty, my apartment is even more shitty, and I don't even remember the last time I spoke to most of my friends here. I want to live life with you, Rose. I'll respect what you want for both of us, but I don't want you to make your decision lightly. There aren't any consequences or hardships for me choosing a new life with you," he explained, hypnotising me with his love-filled gaze. I sniffled and pushed my hair back.

"My dad had a heart attack, that's why I'm going back. I'm going to be so busy and distracted, Dan. I can't place that burden on you." I prayed that my lie would change his mind and persuade him to drop it. 

"And I can't let you face that burden by yourself," he whispered. I closed my eyes and sighed, well aware that I was getting closer to the edge and would need to turn to alternative methods soon.

"Please, Dan," I said once more. I opened my eyes, and much like Kelly earlier today, there was a look in his eyes that looked like he knew there was something about the situation he didn't know. 

"What can I do for you then? I don't want to feel like I did nothing for you," he asked. I paused, reflecting on our relationship. Dan had been nothing but amazing to me, both in friendship and dating. Our romance had blossomed into a gorgeous, bright flower and there wasn't a single thing missing from it. Except for maybe one, single thing. It had never been a problem for us, but considering the current climate, I decided it was time. 

"Let's make love," I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck. He furrowed his brow in concern.

"Are you sure you're ready? I don't want your current emotions to influence your decision," he carefully questioned. I nodded and met his stare once more.

"I think I've been ready for a while now but I just wasn't sure when it was the right time. I think now is that time, Dan." Feeling secure in my answer, Dan placed his lips against mine. 

As we kissed passionately, Dan swept me into a bridal carry and stood up cautiously. The fire and intensity of our kissing continued as we made our way into my bedroom. Dan laid me onto my bed and moved his lips to my neck as he kicked off his shoes and socks. I moaned softly as he worked on a hickey and bunched his shirt with my fists. Dan's hands rested on my hips as he moved from one spot of skin to another. Dan stopped for a moment and sat up, effortlessly pulling his shirt off. Gingerly, he unbuttoned my shirt, his fingertips ghosting my skin as I was uncovered centimetre by centimetre. He tossed my shirt to the side and for the first time in our encounter, he looked nervous. 

We had yet to touch each other like this, and it didn't help that I was a virgin. With the adrenaline coursing through my veins like rapid water, I placed my left hand on his bum and squeezed, pulling him closer to me and pressing my lips against his neck. He giggled lightly and placed his lips on my collarbones. After a few more minutes of foreplay, Dan shimmed himself out of his jeans and he helped me out of mine. I held Dan in my embrace, wrapping my legs around his waist, as he locked his fingers within my hair and kissed the exposed skin of my breasts. As Dan daintily slipped one my bra straps off my shoulder, a chill ran down my spine.

' _You never learn, do you, Rose? And you were doing_ so _well..._ ' Josh snarled mockingly, anger evident in his voice. I opened my eyes and looked over Dan's shoulder, seeing Josh standing at the foot of my bed, fuming. Dan moaned quietly as Josh moved around the bed and towards us. ' _I have let so much slide, Rose, but this is where I draw the line,_ ' he grunted, now next to us. Suddenly, Dan flew up and away from me and was hoisted against the wall by only Josh's mental command. I scrambled against my headboard in fear as Josh smirked with pride and Dan looked around, bewildered.

"Who- Josh? I thought you were a hallucination..." I was slightly amazed by Dan's immediate deduction, but at the same time terrified as to where this was going. Josh teasingly gave a slow clap and shifted his gaze between the both of us.

' _Well, Dan, it seems you're not as dumb as I perceived you to be. Now, who would you like to hear the truth from - yours truly, or your sly girlfriend?_ ' I trembled in dread, tears running down my cheeks once more. ' _It seems Rose is a bit too distraught right now to inform you, so I guess I'll be the one-_ '

"You gave me a week, Josh," I interrupted, fury cloaked in pain covering my voice. Josh snapped towards me and raised his finger, pointing at me.

' _I said to cut ties, Rose, not fucking spite me. I've had enough of these stupid games you play with me, and the way you abuse the privileges I give you,_ ' he angrily spat. 

"Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?" Dan croaked. Josh turned back to him and brought back his grin.

' _Well, as you figured, I'm not a hallucination - I'm a demon. And as you are aware of, I'm quite infatuated with Rose, but there is a lack of mutualism here. Long story short, her and a former acquaintance of mine tried to get rid of me, but alas a flaw in their plan, thanks to Rose, rendered it ineffective. So, as I went to kill Tim, our selfless Rose offered to do anything in return for sparing his life. Taking the opportunity, I gave her one week to cut ties and then I would come for her, forever mine. She had two days left, but when you two decided to go at it like rabbits, I knew that I needed to interfere with our terms,_ ' he bitterly explained. Dan's face fell as things became clear. I sobbed softly and backed off the headboard, stepping onto the floor.

"I'm so sorry, Dan. I wanted to make this easy for you..." I mewed, the guilt wracking my body.

"I forgive you, love." Josh's eyes grew black as he pulled out his switchblade, excitement in his face. I threw myself in front of Dan, arms spread out.

"Please, Josh. I'll do whatever you want, just don't kill him. I was selfish, I admit that. Don't punish him for my actions. I'm begging you," I pleaded as Josh stepped closer towards us.

' _Can't make the same deal twice, sweetheart._ ' Josh lifted his hand and threw against the end of the bed. Dan was tossed from to wall to his knees, letting out a groan from the impact. _'I did warn Rose you know. I told her I would have to kill you if she kept disobeying me for you, so really, this is all her fault. Isn't that a shame? I could tell you really loved her,_ ' he mused, observing his switchblade as he played with it carelessly between his fingers. He reached Dan and grabbed him viciously by his hair, thrusting his head upwards. 

' _As I said, you really loved her,_ ' he continued, letting go of Dan's hair. ' _But you'll never love her as much as I do_.' Josh slashed Dan's neck in one quick motion, his blood splattering across Josh's face. 


	22. Chapter 22

**R O S E ' S P O V**

I screamed in horror, watching Dan slump to the floor as Josh's eyes turned back to normal. Josh cleaned his knife before slipping it back into his pocket and looking up at me.

' _I'll never understand what you saw in him. Anyways, come the fuck over here right now,_ ' he growled. I shakily walked over to him, my legs trembling. He gazed into my eyes, outrage filled his. He slammed me against the wall by my throat, and I closed my eyes as I waited for Josh's response. His _personal_ response.

' _WHY THE FUCK WERE YOU GOING TO LET HIM TAKE AWAY WHAT'S MINE? HE WAS A WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! WHY DID HE DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE YOUR VIRGINITY? THIS IS BY FAR THE WORST OF YOUR DISOBEDIENCE!_ ' he shouted in my face, emotions unfiltered and clear. ' _Look_ _me in_ _the_ _eye_ _when I'm talking to you,_ ' he spat venomously. With a quick blink, I opened them and observed Josh in front of me. His face was red, his veins bulging against his skin and sweat formed at his temples. His eyes were animalistic and lost. I had broken Josh, if that was even possible, but I could care less about his anger towards me or what the consequences were. He murdered the love of my life in cold-blood for himself. I shoved him off of me, scowling at him.

"You are a fucking monster and you have no right to tell me what to do. You killed Dan and what, expect me to _love_ you because of it? I can never love, let alone forgive, the person who has brought the most pain to my life," I barked, stepping towards him. He glowered at me, no longer amused by this kind of behaviour.

' _Fine then. I guess I'll have to isolate you, put some fucking sense in your brain,_ ' he sharply muttered. I stepped back, in a cowardly fashion I'll admit.

"Wait, Josh, please - no!" I begged, the fear of consequences suddenly coming back again. He snapped his fingers and I felt myself falling. I landed in a pitch-black room, cold and damp, but the texture was unrecognisable. I choked on a sob, tears falling down my cheeks. I stood up, goosebumps covering my skin. I screamed Josh's name, terrified.

"JOSH I'M FRIGHTENED! PLEASE LET ME OUT!" I pleaded. No response. I fell and pulled my knees to my chest, resting against the wall. "What have I done?" I whispered as I closed my eyes. Regret filled my body as I recounted my mistakes and burdens I had unnecessarily placed in peoples lives. I thought of Dan and the image of his dead body which was now burned into my brain.

 _I should've let Josh take me as soon as I knew he wanted me._ As soon as the thought entered my mind, I slipped into unconsciousness. But I didn't hit the ground.

I was falling.

**\---**

Lips moved along my skin tenderly, making me furrow my eyebrows. _Maybe I just had a really weird dream... wouldn't have been the first._

"Dan?" I mumbled, slowly prying my eyes open. Calloused fingers caressed my skin, and my gaze met Josh's.

"You wish, babe," he maliciously grinned. I jolted up, letting out a small yelp. My eyes glanced around the room. We were in a luxurious bedroom, one that I didn't recognise. Josh and I were engulfed in cream, silk sheets. He was shirtless with only a pair of boxers on whilst I was clad in black, lace lingerie, making me feel overwhelmed in disgust. With wobbly legs, I stumbled out of bed and held my head in my hands.

"Where the fuck am I?" I murmured. I felt Josh's cold hands on my shoulders and his lips against my neck.

"Just as I told you - nirvana," he answered. I turned around and made eye contact with Josh. He bit his lip softly and slid his hands down to my bum. I tore myself out of his grip and fled towards a wall, placing myself flat against it as I quickly searched for a door. He chuckled quietly, aware of my thoughts. "There aren't any doors or windows in here until I know you can be trusted in our... home," he clarified. I lowered my eyes and stepped forward.

"Where... the fuck... am I?" I asked once more with gritted teeth. He continued to smile and sat down at the end of the bed, crossing his arms.

"Well, I guess it's hard to explain. You're in a world of my creation. It’s not hell, heaven or Earth, it's just... a place in the void in which demons have free will to do as they please. No one can come here, of course, but there isn't anything to dispute the possibility that as we stand here in our bedroom, we're also in someone's torture chambers or tropical island. It's just... pure philosophical madness," he explained slowly with a soothing tone, watching me for any reactions. My hand slightly shook as I processed yet utter mind-boggling nature of the situation, but I chose to maintain strength. "Is that a satisfactory enough answer?"

"Sure." With my answer, I was pulled across the room and back to Josh. He pulled me on to his lap, situating me on top of his crotch. I could feel his bulge pressing against my crotch, watching him pull his head back. I squirmed uncomfortably and attempted to pull myself away from him. He only gripped me tighter and closer to his body. I let out a small whimper.

"Josh, please stop," I tearfully whispered. He licked his lips and frowned softly.

"No. You're mine now, and I'll do as I fucking please," he grunted. I tried once more to rip myself out of his grip.

"Josh, I agreed to be with you, not to become a toy," I snarled, a few tears falling. He let go of me and I leapt off of him as he stood up.

"You want humanity?" he rhetorically questioned, stepping closer towards me. He grabbed my hand and guided me over to a mirror. I stood in front of it, with Josh standing behind me. I blinked, and as soon as I did I regretted it.

I no longer wore lingerie. Instead, I donned a wedding dress. The dress was long and just skimmed the floor, the skirt being light and flowed whilst my top was snug and accentuated my features. It was covered in lace, with the sleeves reaching my knuckles in a point.

"No..." I mumbled in shock, my eyes glued to my reflection in the mirror.

"It's over now, Rose," Josh snickered, adjusting his suit. I swiftly spun around, shaking my head in denial. "Once this marriage is official you can't ever leave me - supernatural law. We'll be bound for eternity in peace," he grinned, straightening out his blazer. I cried nimbly, feeling like the room was becoming smaller by the second. Josh frowned, walking over to me. He placed his hands on my face. "Baby, don't cry. It's our big day! Finally together, no more bullshit with people who think they can take you away for me," he grumbled angrily, making me pull away. "Rose..." he lowly warned.

"Eternity?" I susurrated weakly. He nodded eagerly, happy at the detail I had highlighted.

"Eternity."

"I didn't- this isn't how I thought things were going to happen. I can't do this," I wailed, covering my face. Josh's hand met my throat once more.

"YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE ANYMORE, ROSE! Either accept your fate and love me or keep denying me and live a life of hell," he threatened, gripping tightly. I kept a straight poker face, gazing into his cold, merciless eyes.

"Fine," I calmly responded, ignoring the panic and terror within me. He kissed me deeply, biting down onto my lip. I end the kiss abruptly and glared at him.

"We must get to the ceremony. Shall we?" Josh mused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N: Hey everyone - I'm on a roll here! I hope you're all enjoying all of the content I'm pumping out at the moment. Until next chapter.


	23. Chapter 22

**R O S E ' S P O V**

Once again, as soon as I blinked Josh and I stood in a new environment.

A dark chapel, or at least what I perceived to be a chapel, with an unsettling atmosphere was where we had relocated to. The walls and floors were constructed of grey, weathered brick with red furniture and decor accenting the room. The room was lit up by candles of varying sizes, shapes and brightness. Josh and I stood at the end of the alter in front of who, or what, I assumed was the minister: a being donned in a black cloak that covered its whole body standing tall, significantly taller than Josh. We held each other's hands and gazed at each other. Josh smiled joyfully at me, admiring me.

"Today we bring together Joshua Franceschi and Rose Evans to join as one by becoming husband and wife, an eternal bond under spiritual conditions," its voice echoed throughout the chapel as Josh and I stood in deafening silence. The minister droned on, discussing the significance and aspects of a spiritual world marriage to a non-existent audience. The only place I could look at was a gleeful Josh, who didn't dare to move his piercing gaze from me. But soon enough, our choice came. Not like I had one.

"Do you, Joshua Franceschi, take Rose as your wife and vow to love, protect and care for her?" The words were simple but logical. There wasn't a need for anything else in an eternal marriage. There weren't any mortal or earthly necessities. Josh smirked softly at me, waiting to say the two words for God knows how long.

"I do," he answered proudly. I felt something appear in my hand and lifted my right hand upwards, opening my palm. Josh's wedding ring sat there, a simple, silver band with a line of red running around the centre. With a tense grip and wobbling hand, I slid the band onto his finger, watching his hand twitch slightly and his fist clench gently before he held my hand once more. The minister then repeated the phrase once more with my name. I breathed in shakily as it finally hit me that I was about to hand my life over. Josh gazed at me longingly, a slight tremble in his hands as he awaited my response.

"I do," I whispered, not wanting to say the words, let alone hear them come from my mouth. Elation spread across Josh's face, blinded by the moment. He presented his palm and we both watched as my wedding ring, identical to his, formed in his palm. He daintily lifted my left hand upwards and aligned the ring with my ring finger. As he slipped the wedding ring onto my finger, I let out a noise of pain. It felt like the metal was being welded to my skin. I looked up at him with teary eyes, which prompted him to caress my cheek gently.

"I know, but it's okay," he sickly soothed, filling me with discomfort as I regained my composure.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Josh didn't wait a moment before he kissed me passionately, holding my face with his hands. The kiss felt like fire and stood out against other instances. It paralleled our wedding rings like the kiss was binding us together. He broke it after a few moments and he beamed with happiness. Entwining our hands once more, Josh guided me down the aisle as the minister disappeared without warning. We reached the doors at the end of the church and Josh pushed them open with his free hand.

We stepped into what I perceived to be the home we now resided in, my first look outside the bedroom. The open space contained the foyer, living room and kitchen, the interior made of smooth sandstone walls and oak hardwood floors. Looking out the enormous window that engulfed the main wall of the living room, I saw an isolated, tropical setting characterised by a natural beach, a vast ocean and an overflow of flora. Our surroundings felt so familiar yet so foreign, and I felt a confusion cloud over me.

I was pulled away from my thoughts as Josh stood in front of me, pulling me close as he lifted my hand and compared our now covered ring fingers. He smiled in admiration and flickered his focus to me.

"All mine..." Josh mused, sending a shiver down my spine. It was like he was in a trance. I had never seen him like this before. All I had seen with Josh was passion, anger and intensity. His emotions manifested physically and he wasn't afraid to get violent to prove himself to me. But now he was gentle and softened his behaviour. My confusion only intensified.

In a quick movement, Josh swept me up into a bridal hold, inspiring a squeak of surprise. He strode into our bedroom and gently set me down onto my feet, and I felt the paranoia begin to set in. _We just got married - is this going to lead where I think it's going to lead?_ I didn't want to think about it, but I had no choice - especially after Josh began to pull his blazer from his shoulders and loosen his tie.

"All this time and I finally get something I've wanted so long," Josh whispered as he tossed the tie to the side and I found myself leaning against one of the bed's posts. He made his way towards me and gazed at my entire body, returning to my eyes as he mumbled a soft compliment. He entered my proximity and gently spun me around. He unclasped my necklace and carefully pulled it from my neck, removing the rest of my jewellery before tenderly undoing my hair. This moment was probably my only good interaction with him, and admittedly my favourite. It was a weird atmosphere, but I couldn't help but fall into a sense of comfort as his fingers grazed against my skin and hair. Although he was a vile and cruel man, I knew that his love for me was genuine. You couldn't fake the look in his eyes.

Once he finished, his hand unzipped the lace dress. It cascaded down my body into a small pool at my feet and left me only in my underdress. I turned to face him once more and felt my heart beating against my rib cage at this point, my hands trembling at my sides. He guided me to lay down on the bed, and I shimmied my way up as he knelt onto the mattress and made his way towards me.

I was quickly underneath him and observed in silent panic as he unbuttoned his shirt. Now shirtless, he eliminated the space between us I longed for and placed his lips against my neck, kissing my exposed skin as his hands cupped the underside of my thighs. I reluctantly draped my arms around his neck after one hand gripped the sheets next to me, interpreting it as a silent command. As my breaths increased in pace, Josh's momentum also seemed to. He stripped the rest of himself down to his tented boxers which only worsened my alarm. He kissed me with need, his hands shaking as he stripped me of the underdress and left me in my lingerie. I felt tears threatening to pour from my eyes as Josh paused to drink in my appearance. He returned to his touching, his mouth hovering over my collarbones.

"I can't wait to taste you," he growled softly as he grabbed my hips.

"Josh-" the tears were unstoppable at this point, and I couldn't even hide the crack in my voice. It was clear and stuck out. Josh immediately stopped, cradling my sobbing face.

"Hey, hey. What's wrong?" he lulled. "Are you nervous? It's completely normal to be scared for your first time," he continued, looking at me with a furrowed brow. Apart from that vision long ago, I then saw a rare glimpse at what Josh was like as a human. Surprisingly, he was a caring individual. I shook my head as the tears continued to fall.

"I can't. I'm not ready yet," I begged, my legs trembling with fear. "Please don't hurt me." Josh's gaze softened and he placed space between us. He slid his hand into mine.

"I'm a monster, Rose, but I'd never go that far. I'll get you something a bit more decent." Josh got off of me, allowing me to breathe freely. After a few minutes I spent to collect myself, he returned with a baby-blue, silk nightie. I sat up took the fabric from his hands, thanking him with a mumble. I shakily left the bed and entered the en suite, changing into the pyjamas. I returned shortly after, Josh already in bed. He turned to me as I entered the sheets and nestled my face once more.

"I am so sorry," he appeased. I barely processed his shocking words, only nodding softly in response and lying down with my back facing him. I didn't want to process the fact that he had apologised to me, despite all that he had done before. I just wanted to be ignorant for a few hours. The lights dimmed and his arm wrapped around my waist.

I drifted off into sleep, questioning whether my sacrifice was worth what I had now gotten myself into.


	24. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N: Sorry for the lack of update - I had a bit of writer's block with this one. Enjoy!

**R O S E ' S P O V**

It wasn't long until I lost track of days. I'd watch in awe as the sun greeted the sky and once more as it hid behind the ocean line, but I found myself unable to count how many days it had been since my life sentence began. And I didn't dare to ask him.

We hardly spoke to each other, despite how hard he tried to interact with me. His attempts would almost always be blocked off by me and we'd end up turning to our own ventures. He often chose to allocate himself in the office and his actions would be unknown to me. I read books, explored the island, did all possible leisurely activities. And we finished our nights the same way - joined together for dinner and go to sleep with minimal conversation. I avoided all eye contact and refused to use his name. Despite my promises to him, I couldn't help but loathe his presence and want to isolate myself from him. And I knew that my actions were taking a toll on him, as he gradually grew colder towards me.

As I sat upon the main windowsill of the bedroom, I observed the sunrise, admiring how the light turned the ocean into a pool of sapphires and the glossy leaves into crowds of emeralds. The ombré of colours along the sky mesmerised me and I let the moment sink in as I did every other morning. Satisfied with the image, I flickered my eyes to him.

His body was tangled in the sheets, his dark hair called a mess of curls contrasting against the blankness. I watched his exposed back rise and fall rhythmically as the peach sunlight highlighted it.

Being married to him had been, appropriately described, a nightmare. I felt like the paralysed, innocent girl who he would visit each night once again. The fear of being vulnerable ate me up. We still hadn't been intimate, even with his wandering hands and eager lips. I wasn't ready to place myself in that position and give him the last of my dignity, and he didn't want to force me. But his growing frustration placed me on edge.

I quietly stepped off the windowsill and made my way into the ensuite, closing the door behind me.

The bathroom was quite large for an ensuite, and overall a general bathroom, likely in name of the ginormous in-ground bathtub. If you could even call it an actual bath. I turned on the water and watched as multiple faucets filled up space, gently dipping my hand in to check the temperature. After it had reached an acceptable capacity, I turned off the water and prepared to undress. I suddenly felt a warm, moist breath against the back of my neck and jumped in surprise.

"Good morning, baby," he whispered in my ear as his ice-cold hand crept onto my exposed upper arm, grazing his fingers against my skin. His lips gently kissed my neck and I straightened my back in response.

"Please leave," I asked quietly as my heart rate picked up. He only chuckled in response as his free hand played with the zipper of my nightie teasingly.

"It's like the good old days, isn't it, Rose? You're terrified of me - I can feel it running down your spine. You haven't called me by my name ever since the day we got married. You only refer to me as he or him," he lowly recounted, slowly pulling the zipper down as my body trembled. "It's quite depressing, you know. All I want is to have a happy marriage with the woman I love, but she won't give me love in return," he murmured, the zipper reaching the end. His lips grazed my neck softly, his warm breath making my heart pound even heavier.

"Don't call me that. Use my name." I stood silent in shock as he wrapped his arms around my waist, squeezing my sides tenderly. _He still reads my thoughts?_ "Rose..." Josh warned, confirming my suspicions. I felt anger swell within in place of my anxiety.

"How dare you? You know that I have no privacy here. You heard my thoughts and how they were the only privacy I had left," I gasped harshly, attempting to rip his arms off me. He spun me around and pushed me against the bathroom wall, gazing into my eyes.

"I had no choice - you wouldn't talk to me." He attempted to justify himself, but I wouldn't take it. His thumb lightly pushed my strap off my shoulder, biting his lip as I continued to fume at him. "I can't even explain what you do to me," he mumbled softly as his brows knotted together. I pulled myself away from him, facing the tub again.

"Just leave," I repeated with a stern tone. He pressed his lips on my shoulder blade before exiting the bathroom with a close of the door. I exhaled with relief, feeling like I had escaped a lion's den. With my privacy regained I slipped the nightie off, along with my underwear, and entered the tub.

I bathed for a suitable amount of time, cleansing myself with rich products and gorgeous scents. I paused every so often to be alone with my thoughts and no actions to distract me. _Josh's behaviour was bizarre and odd this morning. He’s never approached me like that without any extreme actions._ Shaking away my pondering I stepped out and dried myself off.

With my towel wrapped around my body, I re-entered the bedroom and got changed into light, linen pants and a plain t-shirt. My eyes once more flickered to the window as I pondered as to what I wanted to do today.

My mind blank, I stepped out of the bedroom and into the living area. Josh was no where to be seen and I concluded he was likely in the office as usual. Feeling adventerous, I decided to explore the island again and attempt to find something new about it I had yet to find. I made my way to the balcony and grabbed the shoes I had left outside the previous day, making my down to the beach via the attached staircase. 

I dug my toes into the sun-heated sand, closing my eyes and stretching my arms outwards. As much as I hated Josh for what he had done to my life I could still find appreciation in the world he made for me. But if I had the opportunity, I would go back to my real life. 

I opened my eyes and guided myself to the shoreline. The clear, picturesque ocean glinted just as beautifuly as it did not too long ago and I found myself eager to at least dip my toes into the water. I stepped closer, and just as my toes were about to reach the incoming wave, I was suddenly stopped and I fell backwards onto the sand.

It was like I had walked straight into a wall, but there was nothing there. I furrowed my brows and stood up. With my unoccupied hand, I extended it outwards and walked slowly back towards the water. An arm's length away from the water, my hand hit the border. I gasped as the horrifying realisation of what had happened hit me. _Josh is blocking me off of the island._

"No..." I whispered. With no time to waste, yet all the time to waste, I bolted towards the rainforest located in the centre section of the island that wasn't too far from the house. I silently prayed that Josh hadn't taken it away from me aswell, but my hopes were shattered as I repeated the experiement I had done with the beach with the entrance of the rainforest. I felt tears rolling down my face as my body trembled. _What a cruel monster. How dare he do this to me?_ I quickly felt rage overwhelm my pain. I turned away from the rainforest and returned to the house.

"JOSH!" I yelled out in anger as I entered the lving area once more, violently tossing my shoes to the hardwood floors. Josh entered from around a corner with a sly smirk across his face.

"What's wrong, love?" he teasingly asked. Once again enraged like this morning, I stomped over towards him and thrust my fists against his chest.

"You BASTARD! How dare you confine me to this house? I fucking hate-" Josh quickly grabbed my forearms in one hand, twisting me in a way so my back would be held against his chest. _There's the Josh I know._ I continued to thrash around.

"Don't be violent with me," he quietly murmured, an underlying tone of threat to his voice.

"Hypocrite," I spat out. He let me go and I darted away from him to the opposite side of the room, facing him again. His eyes had lowered, giving him a somewhat animalistic characteristic to him. "Why are you doing this to me? Stripping me of the only thing I enjoy here?" I questioned calmly. His smile returned, hands in pockets as he moved towards me. I felt discomfort in the way he currently presented himself but maintained my composure.

"We haven't been spending as much time together as we should, so I've altered our environment in a way that we really have no choice but to," he explained with a sickly joyful voice. I shook my head at him in disbelief.

"You're a cruel dictator. If you think I'll-"

"I have other techniques to make us enjoy each other's company, but I don't think you'll enjoy them as much as this one. You have a degree of choice and freedom." I scowled at him, turning away.

"I won't give in," I sneered as I walked off.


	25. Chapter 24

**R O S E ' SP O V**

I awoke, a light sunrise peeking through the sheer curtains. I turned my head, and to my surprise, I was alone in the bed. Despite Josh's efforts, I continued to defy him and avoid him. I knew I was placing the risk of worsening my conditions, but I wanted to maintain my freedom for as long as I could.

Suddenly, a sharp, overwhelming pain shot through the entirety of my body, making me fall out of the bed. I curled into a ball as I cried out from the sensations I was experiencing. A croaky sob escaped my lips as I clutched my stomach and throat, the intense pain scorching every inch of me.

"Josh!" I desperately called, my tears blurring my vision as I turned onto my back and pulled my knees against my chest. I continued to moan as I laid helplessly on the floor. I felt isolated, lost. Josh had yet to come. I closed my eyes and screamed his name once more, the sensation becoming increasingly more unbearable. He was taking forever and I found myself becoming enraged at him amidst the hurt. He suddenly was beside me, shushing me gently as he slid his arm under my back.

"Shhh, it's okay. I'm here now. Can you open your eyes for me?" I weakly fluttered my eyes open and gazed into Josh's concerned look. His brow was furrowed as his eyes travelled my body, watching me suffer. "Where does it hurt?" he soothingly asked, softly moving his hand along my body. Another sob came from me as I hastily fisted his shirt.

"Everywhere," I cried.

"Okay, sweetheart, let's see what we can do," he cooed, lifting me up bridal style. He quickly made his way to the en suite and laid me down on the extended part of the bath. I watched through my blurred gaze as he filled up the tub quickly, scattering an unrecognisable powder in the water. After a few seconds it dissolved and Josh picked me up once more. Gently he lowered me into the water and I sat in the tub.

Gradually the pain left my body, and I returned to my normal state both physically and emotionally. I let out a sob of relief and closed my eyes.

"T-thank you," I whispered to Josh.

"No worries. I'm glad you're okay," he answered back, placing a kiss upon my temple. I felt a flash of warmth in my heart. Josh's actions this morning were conflicting. He showed care, and I couldn't help but feel the smallest bit of desire to place my trust in him. _Maybe it won't hurt to test it._

I opened my eyes, feeling fully restored, and lifted myself out of the tub. I turned to face Josh who stood with a towel, and a pair of fresh clothes and underwear. He placed them on the extended section of the bath and unplugged the drain for me.

"I'll leave you to do what you need," he smiled before exiting the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. I peeled off my wet clothing, drying myself off before putting on what Josh had brought me. I dried the ends of my hair that had gotten wet before tossing the towel and clothes into the hamper and exiting the bathroom.

I walked out of the bedroom and into the living area, where Josh stood at the counter making two cups of tea. I placed myself on the side of the island counter that faced away from the kitchen. When Josh has finished, he slid me one cup as he sipped from his. I brought up the steaming mug to my face and inhaled. _Peppermint - my favourite_. I took a big sip and felt a sense of calmness fall over me. We drank for a bit in silence when I thought to ask him about something.

"Where were you?" I questioned, gripping the mug softly.

"Hmm?" he mused as he placed his mug onto the surface.

"When I woke up, you weren't there." A flash of remembrance appeared on his face, but he maintained a poker face.

"I had gone out onto the beach. You've spent all your time out there whilst I've spent all mine in here, so I thought I should see what had captured so much of your attention and love," he explained, his eyes flickering to the view given by the window. I nodded in acceptance of his answer and finished my tea.

"Thank you for the tea," I smiled, walking around the island counter and placing my mug into the sink.

"No worries," he replied. I turned around and faced Josh. He slowly leant in, tenderly placing his lips on mine. The juxtaposition was daunting, and I couldn't help but like it as I kissed back. The kiss was short, and Josh was grinning with happiness afterwards. _This is... weird. It's too weird. Why are things so calm and normal right now? Why did I kiss him back? Why did I like it?_ I slipped around Josh, exiting the kitchen section and into the main living area as I shook away my thoughts. _I'll think about it later._ Josh's hands crept upon my shoulders as he placed a light kiss on the back of my neck.

"So, what do you want to do today? I aim to keep my word, and I think this is the only opportunity I've had since I established my goal," he proposed, his hands dropping from me as I turned to face him. I pulled my lips into a thin line as I quickly thought about my options. _I should spend time with him today. After all, he did help me this morning._

"I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"There are plenty of things I'd love to do with you," he murmured, his lips twitching into a smirk, "but I think you should decide."

"How about some games? It seems that it's all I do with you, so let’s make it fun for once," I answered back, a bit of sass within my response.

"Who said it wasn't fun for at least one of us?" he bit back with a teasing tone as he walked over to the cupboard built into the wall. He pulled it open and grabbed the stack of board games that laid inside before taking them over to the coffee table that sat in the centre of the room. He placed himself on one side whilst I sat on the opposite. He gently patted the boxes and looked at me.

"Pick your poison," he smiled.

**\---**

I placed my tiles down, forming the word 'distract'. I dug my hand into the satin bag and collected more tiles. Josh counted up the points and added them to my score.

"Eleven points for Rose, placing you with the lead at sixty-three points and me second with fifty-seven. This is indeed becoming a tight game," he jokingly commentated, analysing the board to decide his next move.

I glanced out the window and admired the starry night in front of us. We had eaten dinner an hour or two ago and it was getting late. I returned my gaze to Josh who was still staring at the board.

"I think we better get to bed - it's a bit late now," I suggested. Josh nodded in agreement.

"You're right. I'll quickly rinse the dishes whilst you put away the games. Is that alright with you?"

"Sounds fine to me," I grinned in response. Josh stood up and made his way to the kitchen as I began to pack up _Scrabble_ and the other games which were covering the living area. Josh was quick to finish the dishes and said he'd be in bed. I had packed up everything and all I need to do was put them away.

I started to stack up the boxes, and after I picked up _Monopoly_ , I noticed something hiding underneath the L-shaped couch. Thinking it was another board game I placed the stack on the coffee table and crouched down to pick it up. I slid my hand over the smooth, hard surface and pulled it out.

It was a copy of _Lord of the Flies_ , and I immediately recognised it to be the same edition that I had given to Dan. A wave of nausea took over me, and before I could even stop myself I pulled open the cover with a shaky hand to the title page. I silently placed my hand over my mouth as my eyes met my handwriting, the message I had written months prior staring back at me like a mockery.

I quickly placed it back under the couch again, not sure if I wanted to see it again or just keep looking at it. My heart ached with so much hurt and my confusion only made it worse. Seeing that book, something from the real world placed me into a state of questioning. _Why is it here?_ How _is here?_

I heard Josh's voice calling out for me, and not wanting to have him see me like this and question me, I scooped up the stack of board games and returned them to the cupboard. Taking a deep breath, I moved back to the bedroom and entered with a forced smile upon my face. Josh was already in bed with the covers pushed away on my side, ready to have me. 

"I'll be in in a minute," I said as I snatched my nightie off of the end-board. I walked into the ensuite, closing the door behind me before undressing as I processed my thoughts. _Don't bring it up. God knows what the presence of that book means, and you don't want to get wrapped up in something potentially bad. Josh is doing so well with you right now. You don't want things to go backwards or south._

Shaking away my thoughts I exited the bathroom and made my way into bed. I laid down as Josh turned off the lights. His arms wrapped around my torso, and he brought me against his chest before placing a kiss on my neck.

"I love you, sweetheart." But instead of responding, all I thought about was the book that sat under the couch.


End file.
